Changeless Scars
by ninjamonkey
Summary: This is the story of a girl who came to earth alone. She lived, she fought, and she loved. But then solitude was thrust upon her. And she learned to hate. This is Starfire's story.
1. Prologue: Fall to Pieces

Changeless Scars

By: Ninjamonkey

Disclaimer: If I owned Teen titans, would this be here? HMMMM???? No, I didn't think so.

Genre: Angsty Romantic Actionatic Dramatic oh yeahhhhhhh.....

Rating: Ok sorta PG-13ish only for violence-I DO NOT DO SEX, DRUGS, OR LANGUAGE -mostly PGish....

Note: This is most likely going to be a long epic kinda thing, but if no one finds it interesting it will stay a weirdo one shot, and yes I know I have to finish my Star Wars story Oblivion, but I'm kinda stuck in a pothole so we will see what happens.....YEAH....ok here we go...WHEEEEE.....OHH Updated Note: I added a song because I will be having three to four songs in this story at pivotal moments.......

Prologue: Fall to Pieces

She could have stood there forever. The sun lavished her face with warm rays that trickled across her tear-stained cheeks. Her hair seemed to glow with a wine red, unearthly light. The beauty of the fiery sunset did not calm the tumult inside her. Though the light splashed like engulfing flames across the ever moving sea, she could not find comfort in it's glory.

She cried for what seemed like hours, agony washing over her. The young woman looked up at the sky, only to see clouds creeping up behind her, threatening to overtake the fiery wonder before her. And she found she did not care. Nothing mattered any more except for what she had to say to him. As if on cue, the door opened slowly behind her, and the dark visage of the man she so deeply loved cautiously crept up behind her.

I looked away,

Then I looked back at you.

You try to say,

The things that you can't undo.

If I had my way,

I'd never get over you.

Today is the day,

I pray that we make it through...

Make it through the fall,

Make it through it all.

He stood there for a long time, wondering if she would ever move to look at him with her emerald eyes. Soon enough, wet drops of rain begin to fall, muting out the tears that he knew still poured down her face. He stepped forward without any hesitation and took her in his arms, holding her tightly to his chest. She turned around in his arms, hiding her face in his chest with painful fervor.

And I don't want to fall to pieces,

I just want to sit and stare at you.

I don't want to talk about it,

And I don't want a conversation.

I just want to cry in front of you.

I don't want to talk about it,

'Cause I'm in love with you ...

They stood in complete silence as the ever-falling rain danced about them in intricate patterns. Years seemed to have past before she finally looked up. Her wine red hair was now a deeper scarlet, matted on her face. She almost smiled when she saw he was not wearing his mask. But then again, he probably had been off the habit for years. But she wouldn't know that, now would she?

She burst out into tears again, the scars of her life becoming too unbearable to hold any longer. She had told him everything, and now he was the only safe haven from the storm inside her heart. He reached out and took her face in his bare hand. He smiled a warm smile, his ocean blue eyes twinkling with comfort.

You're the only one,

I'd be with 'til the end.

When I come undone,

You bring me back again...

Back under the stars,

Back into your arms.

"Star, it's okay. I'm here. I'll always be here." He paused, smiling as the rain fell across his face. "I know that I've let you down in the past, and for that, I will always be ashamed. I can see now that what I did to you was horrible beyond reasoning. I can never ask you to forgive me for that." He breathed deeply, searching for words that would express the entirety his heart. "I realize now that without you, I'm nothing. You are the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Without you, I am incomplete. I love you with all my heart, Koriand'r." He whispered against her hair, reveling in the softness. "All of my heart..."

And I don't want to fall to pieces,

I just want to sit and stare at you.

I don't want to talk about it,

And I don't want a conversation.

I just want to cry in front of you.

I don't want to talk about it,

'Cause I'm in love with you.

Wanna know who you are,

Wanna know where to start,

I wanna know what this means.

Wanna know how you feel,

Wanna know what is real,

I wanna know everything,

Everything.

She embraced him tightly, their arms encircling each other completely. He tears poured down and she almost laughed at the absurdity of them. "I love you too, Dick Grayson. I love you too. Always remember that. Always and forever." Her voice trailed away as it caught in her throat. "Like my scars, it will always be unchangeable..."

And I don't want to fall to pieces,

I just want to sit and stare at you.

I don't want to talk about it,

And I don't want a conversation.

I just want to cry in front of you.

I don't want to talk about it,

'Cause I'm in love with you.

I'm in love with you,

'Cause I'm in love with you,

I'm in love with you,

I'm in love with you.

He held her and he knew that he never wanted to let go of her. He knew that from that moment on, they would be together forever. That was why it was a complete surprise to him when he felt the cold, hard point of a knife on his back...

Note: HAHAHHAHA! I bet you weren't expecting that! If it interests you to know what the heck just happened, then tell me if you'd like me to write more....Uh, If anyone is completely lost, Koriand'r is Starfire's real name in the comics and all. Dick Grayson is also Robin's real name, though at the point in time that this story takes place, he is actually Nightwing. But oh well, I guess you would find that out if you want me to continue! REVIEW PEOPLES (If you didn't get the hint.....)


	2. My Happy Ending, Part One

Changeless Scars

By: Ninjamonkey

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans. Also, I don't own any songs by Avril Lavigne, like the one used in the last chapter. ALSO, I might as well tell you now that someday I will own everything, as I shall be dictator of the world.....

Notes: Yeah, I decided to write the rest. No, this is not written in script format, I just have the chapters named such a way because it is easier for me. ALSO, for all who wonder why someone is trying to kill Robin, stay tuned. I swear it will be answered! I promise!!!! Oh and about this chapter..I realize it's major humor fluff, but trust me, drama, angst, and action come later. AND WHO IS TRYING TO KILL ROBIN!!!!!

REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE: The most official pairing here is StarRob. RaeRob fans and BBRae fans hang around. You will both get your share, though I think it will probably end up BBRae. Also, more minor pairings might occur later like Cy/Jinx or Cy/Bumblebee....ANYHOW.....

**Act One: My Happy Ending**

**Scene One: The Object of My Affection**

Years earlier...

Robin smiled, leaning back against the door to the roof. His midnight black hair hung in strands around his head, curling slightly under the rain that fell viciously upon him. His mask kept the droplets out of his eyes, which pleased him because he could watch his friend spinning about before him.

Starfire's wine red hair twirled about her like a beautiful garment clothes a queen. She lifted her emerald eyes to the sky, laughing like a child as the rain splashed down her face. On Tamaran, there was no rain because of the different type of atmosphere. Here, though, the alien girl found great joy in the wonderful torrents that came from the heavens. Every little drop that graced her cheeks was like a soft kiss from the sky. She turned to look at her friend, who sat near by, watching her with delight.

"Friend Robin, isn't this rain a most glorious thing?" She exclaimed, her eyes dancing with excitement.

Robin smiled slightly, his blue jeans and black shirt soaked completely through. "It is."

Starfire didn't seem satisfied by his answer and grabbed his ever-gloved hands. "Robin, you must join me!"

The Boy Wonder let her pull him to his feet. He was the same height as her, thanks to a growth spurt in the last month. Robin hesitated as she pulled him further out into rainfall. Starfire was still holding his hands. A blush crept up on his cheeks.

"Wait." She paused in her joyous rush and looked back at him. He looked at her, suddenly fearful. When she broke out into a confused grin, he knew that his fears meant nothing. The Boy Wonder let go of her hands, just for a moment.

He took off one of his gloves, and offered his hand back to her. Starfire's smile crept away. She knew there was a far deeper meaning to his motion. The girl watched his bare hand for a moment, and then reached forward to grasp it in her own. They stood there like that for a long time, just feeling. And for that moment, there was nothing but them and the rain. The downpour continued, cascading in curtains across their tiny world. Both blushed fervently, neither making eye contact.

Starfire smiled, biting her lip. Robin returned her gaze steadily. An impish grin crossed his face as he threw both gloves to the ground. He bowed down to her, offering his hand. "May I have the pleasure of dancing with you?"

Starfire took his hand, happiness practically beaming from her emerald eyes. Robin pulled her out further into the curtains of rain, and pulled her to him. Nothing else mattered.

**Scene Two: The Object of my Annoyance**

Peace and quiet. She finally had some time to herself in peace and quiet. The other Teen Titans were busy. Robin and Starfire were on the roof, Cyborg was recharging, and Beast Boy was in his room. Raven's violet eyes glowed with content. The gothic girl surveyed the empty living room with an emotion that was the closest thing to happiness she could feel. She strode to the center of the room, beyond the lengthy couch, towards the huge window on the far wall. She breathed deeply and levitated up into the air, preparing to meditate and re-barricade her emotions. Raven centered her thoughts on her three magic words...

And then, a green-skinned boy of fourteen decided to waltz into the room. Why he was here was beyond her. Raven only felt the hard chill creep up her spine that she knew only as annoyance.

Beast Boy had grown slightly taller than her as of late, though at the moment she was higher up in the air. His green hair was spiked up in a myriad of different directions. He grinned a very toothy grin and stopped directly in front of her. Beast Boy stood there, breathing on her face until one of her eyes popped open in aggravation.

"Beast Boy. So good to see you." Raven muttered sarcastically, forcing her clenched jaw to open. The goth was often a bitter person, which she had no problem expressing at the green distraction that stood in front of her.

"Rae! Buddy! Pal! You're looking good today! Is that a new hairdo, or are you just so naturally beautiful?" Beast Boy smiled wider, his face an open book of innocence. Raven rolled her eyes. He was pathetic.

"What do you want, Beast Boy?" The boy might have thought he was being inconspicuous, but he was mistaken by far.

Beats Boy stuck out his lip, pouting. "What makes you think I want something?" He cocked his head, eyes full of mischief.

"Oh, just the fact that you hit on me. Honestly, you would either have to be serious, which is impossible I might add, or you would have to be crazy. As I hope that is not so, I can only assume you want something." Raven almost felt amusement from the dumbfounded expression that crossed his face. Almost.

Beast Boy opened his mouth as if to say something in retort, then closed it. "I guess you have a point."

"Yeah. Now, if you don't mind, I'm meditating." Raven growled, her eyes flashing with annoyance.

"Wait, wait! I do want something! Well, I need your help really."

Raven's eyebrow raised. "And what is it that you need my help on? Not that I'm promising anything."

Beast Boy grinned, "Just a little something I like to call Operation Love Birds!"

Raven blinked slightly, floating back to a standing position. "Do I even want to know?"

"Yeah! Look, we all know Star and Robin like each other but are too chicken to admit it! Dude! It's so obnoxious! So I had this awesome idea!" Beast Boy was seemed to be bursting with excitement. And for a moment, Raven wished he would burst.

"We need to get them together! And I only have the perfect plan to do it!" Beast Boy waggled his eyebrows hopefully.

"No. Now leave."

"Aw, come on, Rae! I need your help!" Beast Boy tried to follow her as she drifted away.

"Ask Cyborg."

"I already did! But I need your help too!"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"With a cherry on top?"

"No."

"Come on! You can't resist the FACE! Come on!!!"

"NO!"

Beast Boy found himself surrounded in a ball of black energy, about to be hurtled against the wall. His eyes grew wide and he started flailing his arms at the angry girl below.

"I'll give you anything! I swear!" Beast Boy screamed. He suddenly found himself on the ground, facing the gothic girl. Hesitation sat in her facial expression.

"Anything?"

"Anything."

"You promise?"

"I do."

"I'll help you on one condition."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

**Scene Three: A Short Plan**

"Trapping them in a closet with chocolate for twenty-four hours? THAT'S YOUR PLAN????" In the background, Cyborg's lamp blew up after begin encased in an aura of black energy.

"Hey! I never said it was perfect! It's not like I'm a professional matchmaker or anything!" Beast Boy whined slightly, backing away from the angry gothic girl. Cyborg, who was relaxing against the wall of his room, began humming the tune to "Matchmaker" from _Fiddler on the Roof._

Raven turned to him in disbelief. "You've seen _Fiddler on the Roof?"_

Cyborg chuckled nervously. "Hey, those Rabbi dudes are awesome!"

"Yo, guyyyss... Let's focus on the problem at hand and not on Chinese pop artists! Let's just trap them in the closet without chocolate. Look, Cy and me will lure Star into the closet, and Raven, you get Robin. Boom! They'll be an item in no time!" Beats Boy rambled on, animatedly throwing his hands into the air. Raven blinked, drawing her cloak tightly around her. Why had she agreed to this?

**Scene Four: My Mistake**

Raven bit her lip, groaning inwardly. Why? Why? WHY? Why had she been so dumb to let Beast Boy talk her into such a stupid plan? It was idiotic, and probably wouldn't work at all.

Suddenly, her communicator on her cloak went off, slightly stirring her from her apprehensive state. She keyed it on.

"Black Spark, do you copy? I repeat, do you copy?"

"What is it, Beast Boy?"

"Are you in position?"

"If you mean standing right next to you, then yes, I'm in position." Raven grumbled, looking towards the grinning idiot beside her. Beast Boy gave her a thumbs up and started to walk away, calling behind his shoulder.

"Robin should be coming any minute for his daily workout. You know what to do. Cy's already talking to Star."

Raven watched him walk away and drifted back into her bored trance. Suddenly, Robin turned the corner, heading towards the gym. He stopped when he spotted Raven leaning against the wall.

"Hey, Raven. What's up?" Robin casually asked, fiddling with his utility belt.

"I was waiting for you to get done with whatever you were doing so I could inform you that the boys have locked Starfire in her closet in some sort of dumb practical joke." Raven almost smiled as she imagined the Boy Wonder's eyes going wide behind his mask in horror.

"What? And you didn't stop them? Let's go!" Robin grabbed her wrist and pulled her after him as he took off in a mad sprint. Somewhere along the way, it registered in Raven's head that they had just gone down three floors in about five seconds. Finally, when they reached Starfire's room, Robin skidded to a halt in front of her door.

He opened her door without pausing. The Boy Wonder stopped in front of the closet door, quickly twisting the handle. He finally let go of Raven's hand as he stepped inside.

Raven stood behind him in a daze. She came to, and kicked the door shut, bracing it with a chair. She heard the protesting voices of her friends inside the closet, but ignored them completely. The gothic girl turned around, leaning against the door.

What just happened? Robin had grabbed her hand and rushed her down here. Still holding her hand. She looked down at her aforementioned hand, still feeling the lingering warmth from his gloved hand in hers. What just happened?

Raven was vaguely aware that Starfire's pillow had blown to smithereens as she delicately put her hand to her flushed cheeks. No. It must have been her imagination. The feeling she had felt when he touched her was obviously all in her head. No.

Then why was her heart pounding so rapidly? Raven snarled furiously. Imaginary feelings. That's all they were. Imaginary. She couldn't feel anything anyway.

"OH RAAAAAVEN......" Suddenly, Beast Boy and Cyborg came sauntering into the room. Beast Boy grinned when he saw the locked closet. "Guess you got them in there. This should be good. Hey, they may even get their first kiss!" Beast Boy grinned, and Cyborg exchanged it with a resounding 'Booyah.'

Robin kissing Starfire. Starfire kissing Robin. The idea made her sick. And suddenly, the feelings weren't so imaginary. Without another word, Raven ran to her room.

Author's note: AHAHAHHAAHHAAAHAHHAHA.......Ok, anyhow. Review. Please. PLEASEEEE....

Preview of what's to come: RobStar get-together (a G rated get-together, peoples), Conflict arises, Jealousy arises in more than one person, and a huge mistake is made...

Promises: I will tell you who tries to kill Robin, there will be plenty of angst, and I will dictate the world.....

Funny Story: When I was writing this, I accidentally typed, "Beats Boy" three or four times.


	3. My Happy Ending, Part Two

Changeless scars

Chapter Two

(AN: HISHIMAMA! Sorry that I never update. Once school is out for Christmas I will dedicate myself to finishing this and perhaps my star wars story toooooo… To make up for not writing in forever, this chapter is SUPER long. And I mean SUUPPPERRR long.)

Disclaimer: I don't own teen titans. Big surprise, eh??????

AND NOW, PRESENTING: A SHORT BEAST BOY SKIT BEFORE THE CHAPTER!!!!!

Raven squishes a tomato.

Beast Boy cries.

Tomatoes have feelings too.

And now, without further to do, a chapter of dramaangstfluffloveydoveydepressionsentimentalcrudmamma……………..

Oh, and rest assured, pairings set in stone are RobStar and RaeBB. Pairings that will exist for some amount of time will be RaeRob. Cyborg will end up with someone, though I don't know who yet. Also, there is a lot of Bb/Star friendship, though it never actually turns into anything significant. Also, what follows in this chapter is based on what I read off the internet about Robin's past. The thing with Tim Drake was nifty, so I had to put it in there. I twisted what I didn't know to fit my evil will….AHAHHAHA…

Act One: My Happy Ending 

**Scene Five: His Scars**

"HIYAH!" The Boy Wonder cried out in anger as he slammed his foot full force into the steel door. Unfortunately, the doors in the Tower were designed to withstand numerous attacks, including the closest. Robin groaned at his fifteenth failed attempt to break down the door. He would have simply blown it up, if it were not for the fact that the Boy Wonder had carelessly left his utility belt in the gym.

Starfire stood behind him, wincing every time he hit the door. She had pressed herself against the far wall so that she would not be in Robin's way. The Tamaranian girl silently fumed over her other friend's dirty trick. Starfire did not get mad easily, but when she did, she was _mad._

Beats Boy and Cyborg had taken advantage of her naivete and had convinced her that they were teaching her an earth game. Though hesitant to enter her closet in their strange "game," Starfire trusted them. What a fool she was.

And what was the purpose of locking Robin and her in a closet anyway? Starfire had an idea, but would not let herself consider it, even for a moment. She glanced back at Robin, who was repeatedly kicking the door in frustration. He did not want to be in here. He only thought of her as a friend. Nothing more. That was why he would never know the truth, because she couldn't bear to be hurt.

Robin finally gave up, grunting in anger. He turned around, his back to the door. Starfire stood no more than four feet away from him, which was too close for comfort in his mind. He shifted uncomfortably in the darkness, suddenly ashamed at his anger-fed beating of the door.

"Looks like we're stuck in here until their little game is up." Robin sighed, and then frowned. "What surprises me was that even Raven was involved. She's normally not into Beast Boy's dumb jokes." The Boy Wonder played with the edge of his brown T-shirt nervously. Starfire shrugged in return, tucking a strand of her long red hair behind her ear.

"Yes, friend Robin, it is quite out of the ordinary." She paused, realizing the weight of what she was about to say. "But what exactly is their game?" Starfire added softly, still unconsciously playing with the ends of her wine red hair. She was naïve, but she certainly wasn't stupid. The alien girl knew what was going on, but hearing it from his mouth was different. Maybe, her little secret was going to be revealed after all.

"I don't know, Star." He replied. Starfire dropped her head, an ache in her chest. And then, Robin continued in a whisper, "But I have an idea." He said the last part uncertainly. Starfire looked up with hope shining in her emerald eyes. She searched his masked face for some sign of his feelings.

"And what is that idea, friend Robin?" Starfire subtly nudged him towards a confession. If he in anyway shared her feelings, she wanted to know. Robin, in return, blushed furiously. No. He promised himself he would never tell her. If they were together, and anything ever came between them, he did not want to risk their friendship. That friendship was the most important thing in the world to him. He would not lose it.

Starfire watched him carefully. She tried to identify the emotions traveling across his face, but his eyes, as always, were shrouded by his mask. Starfire frowned. The eyes were the window to the soul, and she could not see his eyes. "Robin?"

Robin looked up from his thoughts, realizing she was going to ask him a different question. "Hm?"

"Robin, why do you wear a mask?" Silence hung on the air like a thick fog. Starfire immediately wished she had not spoken. It was evident that the subject was an uncomfortable issue for him. And then, Robin surprised her. He took her hand slowly, and sat down on the floor. She followed suit, leaning against the back wall. She squeezed his hand, trying to lift the uneasy feeling between them.

She decided, then, to offer him a way out. "If you do not wish to reveal an answer, then you do not have to do so." He seemed to consider her offer, and then frowned.

"No. As your friend, I think it's something I should tell you. I've never told anyone else. The only other people who know are Bruce and Barbara, because they were the closest thing I had to family at the time. But now, the Titans are like a family to me, and I think you should know." Robin paused, searching for strength. He had kept his past as a secret for so long; he found it painful to allow himself to remember.

"Friend Robin, your past is a sad one. This I have known since I first met you. It is a burden to you, and I would like to lighten the load. But if you really do not wish to share it…"

Robin shook his head. She needed to know this. She was his best friend, and she needed to know. He could not carry the burden by himself any longer. Robin took a deep breath, preparing to relive the memories of his past.

"My name is not actually Robin. You know what the concept of an alias is, right?"

"Yes, I am familiar with the term. Beast Boy once told me his real name, though I am sworn to tell no other because he said it would be quite humorous to other earthlings." Starfire smiled at the memory, despite the heavy mood that hung in the air.

Robin smirked. As the team leader, and the one who discovered Beast Boy, he knew all the Titans real names. Garfield Logan was indeed a funny name. His smile slipped away, as he got back on subject. "Well, my alias is Robin. My real name is Richard Grayson, Dick for short. Before Batman trained me, I had a real family and life. I grew up in the circus, a show of entertainers, and those who defy reality. It was my whole life…"

_"And now ladies and gents, I present to you one of the most amazing families in the world! I should warn you, their stunts are not for the weak-hearted. Hold on to your seats, because they're here to prove that man really can defy gravity. Put you hands together for those death-defying daredevils, the one and only, amazing, incredible Flying Graysons!"_

_The spotlights of the circus tent danced in circles around the ring, drums beating with a heavy tempo. The lights suddenly focused all at once on the platforms at the top of the big tent. At the top of the ring, two platforms were set up straight across from one another. In the middle, two trapezes were suspended. Next to them was a single tightrope. Below them was nothing but air and the net. On one platform stood a tall man, dressed n a bright red outfit, shining colorfully in the light. Across the wide gap stood a woman dressed in a green outfit, similarly shining in the lights. The man raised his arms up, acknowledging the thunderous applause. _

_Suddenly, with the grace of a hawk, the man flipped out into midair, grabbing the closest trapeze. His wife simultaneously leapt out and grabbed hold of the trapeze near her. They swung back and forth, their feet almost touching in the middle. Then, as they both neared the center, the woman linked legs with the man and they continued swinging together on one trapeze. Suddenly, from the platform the woman had been on, a boy adorned in yellow appeared. He grinned, and then leapt towards the empty trapeze. He swung back and forth, and then jumped on top of the trapeze his father and mother were hanging on to. He then somersaulted vertically down his parents, until his mother grasped his legs, so that the three were a chain hanging on to one trapeze. The crowd roared with applause, and the three simultaneously sprang apart to the platforms. A grin split across the boy's face as he leapt forwards, prepared for the next stunt…_

"It was my life. I grew up as an acrobat. I loved it, because, unlike the rest of mankind, I could fly. There was a man, though, that ruined everything. You see the owner of our circus company dealt in some shady business with a criminal named Zucco. Every time the owner didn't pay Zucco back, one of our performers would mysteriously have an accident. The night before the last show of the season, I overheard a heated discussion between the owner and Zucco. By the sound of it, Zucco was threatening him. I didn't think anything of it, and that was a mistake I would forever regret…"

_Young Dick Grayson stretched, his lithe body flexing beneath his new scarlet read and green acrobatic costume. He ran a hand through his unruly black hair. He had finally finished getting dressed. Dick looked across the room towards his nanny. The old woman held a tiny girl in her arms, holding a stuffed bear at the giggling child. She was only six years old, a year and a half younger than her brother. Dick smiled warmly, and sauntered over to where his sister played on the lap of the old woman._

"_Take good care of her while we perform, 'kay?" The nanny smiled in return, her old eyes twinkling._

"_I always do, you silly boy." She replied. Dick bent down and rubbed his sister's shock of blond hair. She grinned at him. _

"_Soon, Daddy said I get to be in the show too. Then we can both fly." She smiled at him and then went back to playing. He stood up and went towards the door. The boy poked his head out of the tent he shared with his family. He watched as crowds of people entered the giant tent. He grinned as he spotted his parents performing small acrobatic tricks for the crowds that strode by. Dick grinned, tumbling in rolls towards his parents. He sprung up in front of the crowd, causing a few people to applaud. He jumped into a series of handsprings, parallel his father. Dick noticed a boy in the crowd stop and pull at his father's hand. _

_"Daddy, can I get a picture with the acrobats?" The little boy begged, pulling his father towards them. The father hesitated and then replied._

_"I don't know if we can, son. We should probably go get seats." Dick smiled and did a series of handsprings, landing in front of the boy._

_"You wanted a picture?" Dick asked, the trademark wide smile still on his face. The father smiled back in appreciation, pulling out a camera. Dick's parents stopped their antics and came over, speaking a few words to the father. Dick pulled the boy onto his lap, kneeling down._

_"So what's your name?" Dick leaned down, asking the beaming boy._

_"I'm Tim Drake. Who are you?"_

_Dick hesitated and then looked at the boy mysteriously. "My name's Dick. But in the ring, they call me the Robin…"_

_The father clicked the picture, forever capturing the Flying Graysons in their last moment…_

_Dick Grayson perched on the platform hidden in the shadows. His father stood on the platform opposite him. His mother stood beside him, ruffling his midnight hair in an affectionate way. They waited quietly for their oncoming cue. Suddenly, Dick's mother looked down on him._

_"Fly tonight, my little Robin. Fly for your sister." The words held love and a strangely haunting ring to it. Dick glanced down in the darkness, spotting his nanny in the audience with his younger sister. Then, the lights shot up in unison, halting on the platforms and the trapezes. Dick's parents prepared to spring to their respective trapezes, acknowledging the applause. Dick stood in the darkness, waiting for his time to fly. He then noticed the ropes of the trapezes looked awfully thin for some reason. It was as if someone had cut away, leaving only a few strands together. He frowned. They were thin. Too thin. His parents prepared to jump. Dick neared the edge and in horror, noticed that there was no net. It had been removed before their act. He frowned, his head jerking up just as his parents leapt. Time seemed to slow down to a sickening halt. Dick tried to scream something, but in the roar of music and applause, they couldn't hear him. The ropes slowly began to snap. Dick looked to his left and spotted one of the missing net's unused support ropes. He grabbed at it trying to snap it free from it's hook. The hook would not come loose. Dick pulled harder, and the hook flew at his eyes, leaving a long cut across his cheek and eyebrow. He didn't even notice the pain. The acrobat turned towards the trapezes, just in time to see the ropes snap. He quickly hooked the hook to the railing of the platform. A myriad of gasps, cries of horror, and confused shouts took hold of the tent's audience. But Dick heard none of it. All he knew were the falling bodies of his family. He leapt after them, one hand grasping the rope. The boy flew towards them at a breathtaking speed, the air blowing blood all over his face. He was almost to them, just another foot or so…and then his rope came to a bitter end. It was all he could do to hold on to the rope for his life. Blood streamed down his face. Below him, all he could see and focus on were the crumpled bodies of his parents…_

Silence hung in the air. It was so thick, Stafire thought she would suffocate. In the darkness of the closet, she could barely make out the vague outline of his face. Tears welled up in her eyes. How could she have made him remember such a horrible thing? She felt utterly shocked and speechless.

Robin found his voice, though he was choked with pain. "My sister was sent off to an orphanage, and I never saw her again. Bruce Wayne took me in. He was my mentor and the closest thing I have to a father."

Starfire breathed in, her breath heavy with the shared weird of her friend's pain. "I…I am truly sorry. I did not know. I should not have asked…"

Robin put a finger to her lips, hushing her apology. She stopped suddenly her words caught in her throat. "It's okay." He stroked her cheek slowly, wiping away the tears. She brought her hand on top of his, holding it to her cheek. Then, he took her hand and brought it towards his face. She gasped, as he molded her fingers under the edge of his mask…

**Scene Six: Her Feelings**

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…" The three words flowed from her mouth with a practiced ease. A familiar, comfortable feeling enclosed her. Complete purity of all emotions…and then one of her pillows blew up. She sighed, dropping down to her bed. She was a gothic empath, who didn't feel. She would neither consider it, nor take chances. Unfortunately, things rarely worked out the way she wanted them to.

What was the point? The more she continued to attempt to center and quiet herself, the more she kept imagining what was going on in that closet. They had been in there for at least thirty minutes now. Raven scowled. Why did she even care?

_Because you want him for yourself._

"What?" Raven said aloud, frowning as she heard the voice. Actually, the voice was quite familiar to her. It was the collective voice her trapped emotions used to talk to her. She was more surprised at what they had to say. "I do not. I don't feel, remember?"

_Yes you do. We would know. We're your emotions._

"But that's impossible."

_No it's not._

"Yes it is. I would never be jealous about Robin's affections. I could care less."

_Sure. Then why do you keep thinking about them?_

"I don't know! Because you're making me!" She growled, another pillow exploding. At the rate she was going, she was going to have to replace hear entire bed set.

_We can't make you think about things. Sure, we fuel what you think, but it's you who do the thinking._ Raven rolled her eyes. It sounded like Annoyance had taken control of the collective voice today. She couldn't believe she was annoying her own Annoyance, who was in turn annoying her. She quickly thought up a retort to the mental war.

"Fine, if I really do have feelings for Robin, then why am I only getting jealous right now?" A shadow of a smile crossed her face. She had to have won.

_We don't know. You are the one who is choosing when to let go of us._

"I am not!" Raven snarled, here eyes briefly flashing red as one of her statues crumbled to the ground. She fiercely forced the emotions back down. It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. Love was not something she felt. Ever.

Then why did it bother her so much?

_Because you want him, but you can't have him. He is Starfire's Boy Wonder. Hers. And not yours._

**Scene Seven: Their Love**

It was so dark in the closet, that Starfire could not see his eyes. She could feel his vibrant gaze though. It occurred to her that it was the first time she had ever looked into his real eyes. She placed the mask carefully in his lap, and brought her hand slowly up to his face. He stiffened, but did not move her away.

Starfire could see the general outline of his face, and placed her hand on his cheek. She slowly felt upwards, memorizing every curve and mark. Then, a small gasp escaped her lips as she felt a long, cruel scar. She remembered back to Robin mentioning the hook that had cut him. She traced the scar up his cheek and all the way up to his eyebrow, narrowly missing his left eye. And then he spoke.

"The reason I wear a mask is not only to hide my identity. I wear it because, when I look into the mirror, I don't want to see my scar. I don't want to remember what happened, how I was to slow, to stupid to do something…" Robin muttered, but was cut off by Starfire.

"You blame yourself." Starfire stated. It was not a question.

Robin hesitated. It was true. "Yes."

"Why? I do not see why the fault was yours…"

"Because, I overheard Zucco and the company owner. I heard them, and didn't warn anyone. It was my fault." Robin bitterly spat out, turning away from her. He moved to sit as far away as he could, which in reality was only a few feet. The Boy Wonder heard her move as well, and his breath caught in his throat as she kneeled directly behind him.

"It is no fault of yours, Robin. There is evil in the world and it is not your sole responsibility to fight it. I will always be here to assist you in your battles." Starfire hesitantly kneeled behind him.

Robin stared at the wall, feeling the warmth behind him. She was right. He had made a mistake, but it did not mean it was his fault that his parents died. That knowledge, though, did not relieve the bitter pain in his heart. He forced himself not to cry. Robin knew he must have begun to, for Starfire hesitantly slipped her arms around his waist in a comforting hug. And he let the tears flow. He was fifteen, but it crying in her presence did not make him feel foolish. In fact, he was completely comfortable with telling her everything. Well, almost everything. But then, she beat him to it.

"The reason, friend Robin, that we are locked in here has something to do with our feelings towards one another, does it not?" Starfire stroked his chest. Robin suddenly stiffened.

"Starfire, we can't." Those words hammered her like a blazing nail.

"Why not?" She whispered, her voice cracking.

"Your friendship is the most important thing to me, and if we were to fight, I would never want to lose it." Robin replied.

Starfire was quiet for a moment. Then she spoke. "Yes, true. But if to people are in love, shouldn't they take the chance?"

Robin was completely taken off guard. "You love me?"

Starfire hesitated, and then turned his head to the side so that she could see the vague outline of his face. "I do."

Robin stared at her for another moment. Then, he moved in her embrace so that she was facing him. "Starfire?"

"Hm?" She muttered nervously.

"You're right." And with that simple phrase, he leaned forward and softly kissed her. She was surprised by this at first, but then responded by kissing him back. The moment seemed to last forever, both of them lost in warmth and comfort of one another. Finally, Robin drew back, a stupid grin on his face.

Starfire smiled in return. And then a thought occurred to her. "Robin, when is Beast Boy going to release us?"

Robin shrugged in return. "Don't know. Don't care."

**Scene Eight: Her Pain**

Three months later…(I so love time jumping)

Darkness.

Complete and utter darkness.

It shrouded her and hid her from the overwhelming emotions that assaulted her. Raven had long since believed herself in control of her emotions, blocking them from escape. Things had changed. The only emotions that had ever been truly freed before were Rage and Fear. She remembered all to well the pain and suffering that had caused. She had almost killed a villain. The Rage that had manifested itself in the form of her father had been controlled, only with the help of her friends. When her Fear had come alive in the form of nightmarish monsters, she had learned to control it herself. But this was different. She had fought it for as long as she could, but it was winning. Raven knew that this time, neither her nor her friends would be able to suppress it. This was more powerful and ferocious then the others. It was an unsatiable craving. Only in the darkness of her room could she hide from it's onslaught.

Raven closed her eyes, accepting the truth that was before her. She had suppressed it, but it was out now. The forbidden emotion. This was the one thing she would have never intentionally let herself feel. But that was the funny thing, wasn't it? Love was never intentional.

Raven stood up, ending her pointless meditation. She had been staying in her room too much recently, and her friends were beginning to wonder. She decided to briefly make an appearance, but retreat soon afterwards. Beast boy and Starfire were worried for her. She saw it in their eyes every time she left her room. Robin and Cyborg did not notice as much, but soon enough she figured they would. That was the problem, though. Starfire cared too much. And that was why Raven knew her newfound emotion had to be suppressed no matter what. The she loved was not hers. Her emotions had always been right, and only recently did she see truth. He was not hers, he was Starfire's. Raven would never intentionally hurt her friend.

She frowned, brushing a strand of her shoulder-length violet-black hair behind her ear. The gothic girl remembered what she had pondered over only moments before. Love was never intentional. Raven shook her head. She would never hurt Starfire by letting her jealousy be in control. Never.

As she neared the living room, Raven frowned at herself. Her feelings were most definitely unrequited. That much she knew. The gothic girl stopped in the doorway, watching her friends meander around the living room. It was a usual afternoon for the Titans. Beast Boy leaned on the counter, surveying the many glorious tofu and soy products the refrigerator held. Cyborg and Robin were playing some sort of foolish video game that gave Raven no amusement whatsoever. Starfire sat next to Robin, cheering him on. Raven attempted to ignore the to, but her attention snapped back to them when Starfire kissed Robin on the cheek as he executed a perfect move with his character. Raven flinched, barely able to suppress the bottled up emotion. Or maybe not. She was mildly aware when Beast Boy's tofu products blew up in his face. She came back to reality when the green boy stood right in front of her, his eyes flaring with anger.

"Dude! What was that, Rae? You just killed perfectly good tofu!" He waved his hand in her face, but stopped when her deep violet eyes set a violent glare on him.

"It's nothing. I lost control for a moment. Nothing." She spat out the words forcefully, and turned to leave the room again. Raven hurried down the dark hallways, no longer caring if her friends would wonder about her. All that mattered was getting to the relative safety of her room. They couldn't find out. They wouldn't. Unfortunately, she did not plan on being followed.

"Raven! Wait up!" Beast Boy stumbled after her. She rolled her eyes, and stopped, though she didn't turn around. "Rae, what's wrong? You only blow stuff up when you lose control of your emotions." He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his sagging jeans. "That was a pretty big explosion of tofu back there."

Raven turned around slowly. Her violet eyes thundered with rage, which she pointlessly tried to suppress. The gothic girl considered throwing him down the hall. How dare he. How dare he intrude on her private feelings.

Beast Boy seemed to sense her anger, and slowly backed away, annoyance creeping up on his concerned face. He turned to leave, muttering loud enough for her to here. "Sorry for caring."

She watched him walk away, tears creeping up in her eyes. Raven touched the tears on her cheeks. Why was she crying? The goth wiped them away in frustration. She shouldn't have been so cruel. Maybe…maybe telling someone would help.

"Beast Boy, wait."

AN: AHAHAHHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!! Review please! Dude this was long!

Preview of next chapter: More jealousy, a huge mistake, and separation

Promises: I WILL tell you all who tries to kill Robin in like say…seven chapters or so, so HOLD ON! Also, the Titans will finally get some action in the next chapter…

Funny Story: I was walking down a hallway and turned to quickly, and I ran smack into the wall.

ALSO, I apologize if there are grammar mistakes in this chapter. Point them out, and I will fix them!


	4. My Happy Ending, Part Three

Changeless Scars 

Act One: My Happy Ending

Part 3

(An: I haven't written in like half a year……..And again, sorry that I never update. I have lost all inspiration…..don't have enough free time. When I do, I am lazy with it. But here is a new chapter anyway. You thought the last one was long? Wait till you see this one! Like fifty things have to happen in this chapter, so here we go! It's gonna be like 5000 words at a minimum…..HOLY BOB! Actually it's gonna be like 10000 or something, so grab a chair peoples. This is what happens when I try to jam a ton of stuff in one chapter. WAHAHHAHA…)

Disclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans or Avril Lavigne's "My Happy Ending" or Dashboard Confessional's "Vindicated." I only use parts of Vindicated. For the purpose of the story, Happy Ending is ever so slightly altered (i.e. verse 2 no cussing, etc.)

AND NOW PRESENTING A SHORT BEAST BOY SKIT, PART TWO!

Beast Boy turns into a woodchuck.

Beast Boy chucks wood.

Raven is confused.

SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE

The major pairings are Robstar and BBRae. The secondary pairings are RobRae, CyBumblebee, RedXStar, and one-sided BBTerra (yeah, she'll be coming back some time.) OK. As I said, something for everyone.

If anyone cares, I studied Raven's room in "Fear Itself" and "Birthmark" and figured that would be a pretty good basis for my description.

ALSO, I know really nothing about Green Arrow's son, Connor Hawke. However, he's the only other person I could think of to use for my third antagonist. I hate making up OCs, so I was determined to only have one major one in this story, i.e. the werewolf.

ON WITH THE SHOW!

You know what, this chapter is like a soap opera. I HATE IT! I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FUN STUFF TO START!

This story happens after the whole end of the world stuff.

Act One: My Happy Ending 

**Scene Nine: The Quadriangle**

Needless to say, Beast Boy was stunned. He turned around, facing the girl who stood behind him in the hallway. Had she just asked him to wait? If he wasn't mistaken, it sounded as if she felt guilty.

"I'm sorry. Did I hear you correctly?" Beast Boy squinted carefully. Was she…_crying?_

Raven almost turned away as the green teenager scrutinized her face. He seemed very surprised, but concern beamed in his deep forest eyes. Yes, she could tell that he noticed the tears slowly making their way down her pale cheeks.

Beast Boy cocked his head, not sure what to do. He flinched as a lighting panel somewhere behind him cracked and went out. The emotions running across her face seemed to intensify as yet another panel broke. Beast Boy knew that something was very wrong. Raven did not express her emotions very often. She rarely looked for consolation. Most of all, she never, ever cried. At least, not that he knew of. The green changeling bit his lip and strode back over to her with confused sympathy.

"You're crying." It was both a statement and a response with imploration behind it. Raven's eyes widened slightly and she bit down on her lip, furiously trying to stop the tears. This caused the hinges on her door to creak in an impending way. She hated herself for crying in front of him. Raven hated it, and she hated the love she felt for a certain Boy Wonder. She wanted so badly to despise the changeling's sympathy and throw it in his face, but she found she could not.

Beast Boy's expression was incredibly serious and he hesitantly brought his hand up. The changeling brought the hand to her cheek, wiping the most recent tear away. "Rae, do you want to talk about it?"

Everything in her wanted to scream no, to glide off in her usual aggravated way, and to meditate alone in her room. However, Raven's head nodded numbly in response. Beast Boy looked at her a moment longer and motioned towards her door in question. She again found herself nodding without thinking about it. Beast Boy followed her hesitantly into her room. Few people had ever entered that place. He only remembered two or three times before that he had; she had never willingly opened her door to him. Beast Boy was not a genius, nor was he the most intelligent being. However, he could see that she was severely vulnerable at the moment.

Raven sat on her bed, finally stopping her tears. She nervously began chewing her lip, all too aware of the blackness encasing one of the lighting panels she never used. Beast Boy winced again as it cracked loudly. Thankfully, it did not break. The changeling hesitantly sat by her window to the left of her bed. It was always shaded during the day, but even the idea of light in the dark chamber gave him comfort. Silence hung in the air, and Raven knew he was waiting for her to start. The gothic girl wanted to tell him. She wanted to. But a battle was raging amongst her emotions in her head.

_He told her she was never alone._

_He'll always be there for her._

_How can you think that?_

_How could he say that?_

Raven shook her head. No one, not even he understood her. She was alone. She had friends, people who loved her. But it didn't matter. She was misunderstood. She was alone in who she was. There was no way he could be empathetic with her. She was too complex. He didn't know her.

_But he wants to._

Raven blinked. He was the least brave of them all, and yet he wanted to learn what troubled the twisted breaches of her mind. She sighed to herself and looked up at him. Why was it, that out of everyone, the one who never took anything seriously was the one listening to her? Raven frowned, and began.

"I meditate to keep my emotions suppressed. I can express them to a certain extent, a smile once in a while, but the stronger emotions are dangerous. They must be kept locked up." She started slowly with the statement. Beast Boy, who normally would have used the moment of quiet to crack a half-hearted joke, was completely silent. He sat where he was, his concerned gaze unwavering. Raven shifted slightly, her usual expression of indifference covering up the momentary vulnerability. She sat up straighter, meeting him in harsh eye contact. The look in her eyes told him that silence was best. Beast Boy nodded hesitantly, wondering if she was having second thoughts about talking to him.

He really couldn't blame her if she did. After all, he was the Tower's resident clown. She probably didn't think he could be serious. But the changeling knew he could. When something really mattered to him, _really _mattered, he was more serious than anyone could ever guessed.

"Recently, my meditation hasn't been working." Raven broke eye contact and twisted so that she was lying on her bed. She stared straight at the ceiling, eyes focusing on some faraway thought. She was silent again, pondering what to say next. There were no words to describe what was going on in her head. Beast Boy accepted it, and took the time to observe her room.

The rounded bed lie directly across from the door, connected only by a jagged pathway. There was nothing ornate about her bed in general, but it seemed to blend with the dark, yet calm atmosphere. Twin black wisps of smoke snaked their way up the walls on either side of her bed. To the left of the bed was the window that the green changeling sat by, shaded over so that no light entered the very dark room. To the right of the bed, a dresser was set up against the wall. Raven's mirror sat atop it. Beast Boy shook in remembrance of the horrible thing.

Further back towards the door, bookshelves were set into the walls. The changeling's attention was then drawn to the statue of a seemingly harmless raven. He knew better. His thoughts again drifted back to the encounter with Raven's mind. Another statue stood on a pedestal across from the bird. Two faces, one joyous and the other malevolent, danced about in a fury of smoke. Beast Boy thought they looked familiar, but couldn't quite place them. The sixteen-year-old fixated his eyes on the masks, until Raven spoke again.

"Look, Beast Boy. I can't…I just can't find the words to express how I feel." Raven turned her head to look at him. Beast Boy's green eyes flashed with a strange intensity.

"Can you try? Until you talk about it, I can't help. Even if there's nothing I can do, I want you to have support with whatever you're going through." Beast Boy stood up and sat back down on the bed next to the reclined girl. They were much closer now, and he could see the fear in her eyes. Raven looked back at him oddly and took a breath. There was always a calm before any storm. This was the first time she would ever say it out loud. Doing so would mean that it wasn't a figment of her imagination, that it was real. She took one more breath. Now or never.

"I'm in love." The simple words slipped out, unleashing an often assaulted gate within her. A flood of emotions overtook her. Love, Jealousy, Loyalty, Depression…

A whirlwind seemed to momentarily overtake the room. It lasted only a second or two, but was still powerful. Everything shook as if they were in an earthquake. Keeping it contained within her room was all Raven could do. She quickly suppressed the wave of feelings and forced the back inside. She propped herself up, surveying the damage. Her books were scattered across the entire floor, random pages still flying around the room. Her statues were on the floor, and so was her mirror. Thankfully all three were intact. Raven noticed, however, that nothing had hit her because Beast Boy had pulled her beneath him. The green changeling laughed nervously and sprang away, back to the edge of the bed.

"Wow. You don't exaggerate, do you?" The green changeling's smile disappeared in an instant, brushing pages and books away. He looked at her seriously. "I have seen so far that your Hatred is your most powerful emotion. I never considered Love before."

"Because Love is the polar opposite of Hate, it is also the most powerful of my emotions. What you just saw is only a little of what can actually happen if I were to give in. You see, Love is not what caused that. It's the emotions that accompany Love." She glanced around the room, inhaling a curse. "This will take a while to clean up."

Beast Boy nodded and then looked back at her seriously. "Who?"

Raven looked at him, wishing she didn't know what he meant. "Who what?"

"Who is that you love?" The changeling asked, a spark of utmost solemnity running through his eyes. And was that…_hope?_

Raven smirked in a very bitter. "That's the problem. Even if I could love him in safety, I can't have him. He's already taken."

And then, the expression on the changeling's face took a very radical turn. His face went from concerned, to hatred, to fearful, stopping at a strange expression she could only recognize as cold jealousy. Her eyes widened. What was this?

Beast Boy stood up very suddenly. An aura of plain disbelief was about him. He looked as if someone had slapped him. _Hard._

"Beast Boy…"

He laughed to himself, unknowingly mimicking the bitter smile she had displayed moments before. The changeling looked down at the ground and then back at her. "I only have a little advice I guess I can give you, Rae. Remember your loyalty to your friends first and foremost. As for me, I can't really help you."

He turned to leave, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Beast Boy turned to find Raven standing behind him. Without any further hesitation or permission, he pulled her into a tight hug that seemed to her far more than friendly. The breath left her lungs, and all she could do was wonder what had just happened. The embrace was most definitely intense; it was as if he was trying to satiate some sort of need for her…

Beast Boy turned his head and put his lips directly next to her ear. "Love is a funny thing, isn't it Rae? In the end, people rarely get who they want. I mean, look at us Titans. We've got ourselves our own little quadirangle."

With that, he turned and left. It took her only a moment to grasp what he meant.

**Scene Ten: Changes**

The day, simply, could be described in one word: hot.

Robin stretched himself, bending his bare chest into a stiff position and forcing the muscles to loosen themselves. He grunted, the black training pants absorbing the intense heat from the sun. Summer was most definitely an unpleasant thing in Jump City.

The seventeen-year-old Boy Wonder flipped backwards, drawing his bo staff to an imaginary foe. He twisted it in his fingers, letting the feel of the heated metal run across his bare hands. Robin grimaced, and then set off into a long series of martial arts moves. He twisted to his left, sending a high kick forward. The young man then twirled around with a jab and uppercut, viciously attacking the unseen menace. He flipped forward, imagining that he was leaping over the enemy. As soon as he landed, he turned with a sidekick, right where a head would have been. Robin, now breathing heavily, frowned at where his "enemy" would have been lying. His moves had been too slow.

The Boy Wonder hit the ground, forcing himself into a set of two hundred push-ups. As he was doing so, he heard the door to the outdoor training ground open. He didn't bother looking to see who it was, for the young man was too absorbed in his workout. Sweat poured down his brow. _195, 196, 197, 198, 199…_

Robin stopped as a pair of bare pale feet planted directly in front of his face. He finished his final push-up, and then moved into a crouching position. Raven stood before him in shorts and a tanktop, her black-violet locks tucked back into a messy bun. A scowl was on her face. Robin stood up, wiping his forehead.

"Can I help you?"

Raven somehow managed to keep the scowl on her face, even though the man she loved was standing a foot away with his well-muscled chest bare for the entire world to see. She decided to make a sarcastic comment to cover for herself.

"I see that we are trying to attract fan girls today." Raven smirked, putting a hand on her hip. Robin frowned, and then smirked.

"I'm exercising."

"So I see. Anyway, have you seen Starfire? I was going to ask her to do combat practice with me." Raven crossed her arms, glancing around the area.

"Yeah. She was swimming on the other side of the tower, but I came over here so I wouldn't be distracted from practice." Robin nodded his head towards the building, indicating the other side of the Tower. Raven nodded and turned to leave. It was odd, that he would not want to be with Starfire.

_Oh well. That doesn't mean a thing. _

Robin watched her go, deciding that his combat practice would be more useful if he had an opponent. He supposed he could have asked Star earlier, but battling his girlfriend seemed strange to him.

"Raven, do you want to practice with me?" He asked.

Raven stopped in her tracks. She didn't turn around, but a strange expression crossed her face. The gothic girl practically heard the emotional battle going on inside her head.

_NO! NO! Avoid him! Don't go near him! _Timid screamed at her, begging for caution. Brave was another story.

_GO! GO! Fight him! Release some stress! _

_No. Don't be stupid, Raven. You know your powers might get out of control._ Knowledge implored her forcefully.

_KILL HIM. _That would be Rage.

Raven almost screamed at herself in frustration, until a different emotion spoke up.

_You love him. _

"Fine." Raven heard the words before she actually processed what she had said. She turned around, annoyance in her eyes. All she had to do was beat the snot out of him, and then she could leave. Then, he would never suspect a thing.

Robin grinned, twirling his staff. "Let's go." He strode over to the far side of the workout area, and turned on his foot. "Powers or no?"

Raven stood opposite him on the other side of the area. She levitated up into the air. "I'll be flying, but no other powers." With that, she flew at him, a fist raised in the air.

Robin ducked quickly, rolling beneath her. He tried to catch her foot on his staff, but at the last minute she rose higher into the air. Robin sprung to his feet, flipping forwards as she turned towards him. The gothic girl ducked under a full frontal kick, thrusting out her fist. He blocked it and used it to vault over her at the same time. She gritted her teeth. That had hurt.

With a new flood of energy, she channeled all her frustration into a very hard kick at his back. He flew across the area, but managed to roll back into a standing position.

"That hurt, Raven." Robin cocked an eyebrow, observing his foe. She sprung up into the air.

"Sorry." With the apology, she leapt into the air again and drew back for a kick. The Boy Wonder drew his staff and used it to block her assault, He spun to his left and then his right again, hitting her from behind. She spun back around to meet his fist with a jab of her own. The two battled each other on and on, each growing more intense in their attacks. Raven found that the battle was not only escalating to a dangerous point, but that it was symbolizing the anger that welled up inside her. Why couldn't she win? She snarled and viciously attacked him. He to had noticed the difference, and fueled on by some personal issue, attacked with just as much intensity. Raven used her forearms to ward off his flurry of fists, and felt the frustration release itself. No, she was not frustrated at him, she was frustrated that she could not have him, and therefore disguised it by letting her frustration and anger control her.

Robin then realized that the battle was getting dangerous. He flipped backwards as soon as he saw Raven's eyes flash with black energy. Whatever was wrong with her was now gaining control over her. Still angered, she rushed at him, but stopped herself as he raised up a hand in a halting gesture. Her lips curled up as her anger no longer had a way to vent itself. It was then that she realized her powers were controlling her. Though it was very stupid, she realized that she her jealousy had made her _angry_ with him. She was mad that he loved Starfire and not her. Raven was shocked at herself. Had she really sunken so low? She remembered Beast Boy's words from a few days ago. Loyalty first. Her loyalty had been momentarily outweighed by the amazing amount of jealousy she harbored towards Starfire and Robin.

Raven stared at him wide-eyed. Concern spread over Robin's face. "Raven? What's wrong? You seem…very stressed." He strode forward, putting a friendly hand on her shoulder. Raven flinched. He was again only a foot away from her, and on impulse she slightly leaned forward. Why shouldn't she have him? He should be hers. He should be.

_NO!_ Raven realized that he had not moved away from her but had unknowingly moved closer. A sudden strange attraction was drawing them closer. And it occurred to Raven that she wanted to kiss him very badly. She stared up into his masked eyes, screaming at herself to move away. But then, something rang in her mind. Starfire. He was Starfire's boyfriend. Unfortunately, she found her muscles would not budge away from where she was.

Robin realized that he was standing _very_ close to her. What was happening? Certainly nothing romantic. She was his friend, and he was comforting her. He had a girlfriend, whom he loved dearly. Then why was he not drawing away?

Suddenly, a splashing noise came from somewhere near them. Something registered in the back of his mind that Starfire was near and this was a slightly compromising situation. Robin sprang away from Raven, immediately feeling guilty for being so close to her. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, offered her a half-hearted smile, and then strode past Raven towards the bank.

Starfire popped her head out of the water, unaware of the scene that had previously been taking place. She smiled when she saw Robin standing at the shore, and she rose out of the water. She landed next to him and he put an arm around her.

"Have a good swim?"

"It was glorious!" Starfire smiled brilliantly at him, and he wondered why he had ever been drawn away from that smile. The Boy Wonder strode down the beach with her, his head glancing back for a moment. Raven was no longer there. He inwardly wondered what exactly had just happened back there.

One thing was for sure. Something had changed, and Robin was determined to find out what.

(OHHHHHHH…slaps Robin BAD BOY.)

**Scene Eleven: Tension Swel**l

(This scene is all battle, with a very intense yelling match at the end. You are warned. It's also the longest scene.)

Nothing at all had seemed particularly significant about that night. In fact, all was well on the surface with the teen heroes. Cyborg, oblivious to the emotional war going on about him, was happily sitting on the couch, kicking his green best friend's behind at video games. Of course, if anyone had paid much attention to Beast Boy's facial expression, they would have known that he was in a completely different place in his head.

Raven sat on the couch, reading a book as she normally did. However, she was not paying attention to the words on the pages. In fact, she had been on the same page for the last hour. She, instead, was focused on the two "love-birds" sitting at the table. Robin was trying to teach Starfire the ways of Scrabble, but his efforts were futile. Raven's eyes, however, were focused on the constant subtle touching between the two. Jealousy ransacked her brain, and she knew nothing else.

Starfire, like Cyborg, was also oblivious to the torrent of tension in the room. She simply was focused on trying to learn the game. Her boyfriend, Robin, was focused on why Raven was glaring at them. He felt her angry violet eyes watching them like a predator. Something was very wrong with her. However, the Boy Wonder hid his contemplation behind the game of Scrabble.

And then, the relative peace was destroyed. A deafening alarm sounded off, bathing the room in a blinking red light. Instantaneously, all five Titans sprang to their feet, standing at the ready. Robin quickly moved over to the computer screen. He flicked it on, scanning the report.

"It's a robbery. Downtown…36th Street…by a wolfman?" Robin cocked an eyebrow and shrugged. He turned to run out the door. "Titans, go!"

Cyborg made his way down to the garage and hopped into his car. He glanced over at the Boy Wonder, who was boarding his R-Cycle.

Robin caught his eye and grimaced. Cyborg returned the expression. "Sounds a little too _Van Helsing _for my taste."

Robin chuckled before speeding out of the garage. How he drove a motorcycle across a body of water to reach land is yet another mystery for another time.

The scene of the crime was undoubtedly fresh. In fact, the criminal was still there. Cyborg's assessment had not been far off. In the middle of the street, eyeing the group of guards surrounding it, stood a creature in the likeness of what one would call a werewolf. It was huge, at least twice as big as Cyborg, and was covered in a mess of golden brown fur that made it appear even bigger. The creature snarled at the guards. The armored men were trying to keep it in one place till the Titans arrived. As soon as the superheroes were in sight, they began to back away. The beast moved.

It leapt forward, bags of money strung over its shoulder. The creature used one giant paw to sweep two guards aside, and bounded onto the side of a building. By then, the other guards had backed off, for the five teenage heroes had arrived. Robin's cycle skidded to halt, adjacent to Cyborg's car and below the other three Titans. He readied three freeze disks and looked up at the creature. It hung from the side of the building, finding new interest in the five teenagers.

"Don't suppose you just want to play fetch?" Beast Boy grinned hopelessly, morphing back into his human form. The wolf snarled at him, still eyeing the heroes like they were prey. The changeling let out a low whistle, and morphed into a dog. "Didn't think so."

"Maybe we should play a little 'chase' instead. Titans, go!" Robin drew his climbing cable and shot it towards the building. At the same time, the girls flew up, energy and magic crackling around their fists. Cyborg drew his sonic cannon, taking aim, and Beast Boy leapt towards the wolf, morphing into an ape as he hit the wall. The wolf began to climb the wall, pursued by Robin and Beast Boy.

The creature dodged a flurry of starbolts and black energy, and then leapt away from a sonic blast. It began to scale the wall, Robin in hot pursuit. The creature snarled, clawing at the Boy Wonder's cable. Beast Boy took the opportunity to sneak up on it.

The wolf noticed this and let one of the four heavy bags fall from his arms. It hit the changeling square in the head, knocking him to the ground. Raven slowed his fall with her magic, leaving him with a few small bruises. Robin, on the other hand, had come within fighting distance of the wolfman and drew a stun bomb from his belt. However, he did not expect a bullet to smash into his bomb. It blew up in his face, stunning the Boy Wonder.

Robin fell fast towards the ground, but was saved at the last minute as Raven also was able to grab him with her magic. She set him down carefully, and then turned away from the wolfman to face the other skyscraper. The random bullet had come from that roof.

Starfire and Cyborg, seeing that Raven had turned to seek out their mysterious gunman, both continued to pursue the wolfman. It had reached the top of the building by then. Starfire swooped down, grabbing Cyborg under his arms and lifting him high up to the top of the building. They both landed on the flat roof. And the wolf was no where in sight.

Meanwhile, Robin and Beast Boy had come to. Robin immediately began to scale the wall of the building where the mysterious gunman was hiding. As he did so, Beast Boy looked between the two buildings.

"Creepy horror film werewolf with the alien girl and my best bud? Or should it be the mysterious random gunman with my rival and the woman I love?" He took one last glance at each building. And then, suddenly, an arrow fell right by his feet. "What the?" And then, it exploded.

Beast Boy flew back, morphing into a cat. "Owww…" He turned onto his feet. The changeling looked forward, morphing into a dog. Before him, the smoke cleared. A young man clad in black leather stood, a bow and arrow clutched in his hands. He sneered, his green hair standing up in all directions. Beast Boy growled and charged. Apparently, his decision had been made for him.

Robin reached the top of the building, crouching with a birdarang in his hand. The surrounding area was under construction, as an extra floor was being added to the building. Steel bars surrounded him in a cage like format. Boxes and more stacks of the steel bars were around him as well. _In short, a great place to snipe from. _Robin thought, looking around. He glanced up, Raven levitating above him.

_Anything?_ Robin spoke in his mind, knowing she could hear him. She looked down at him for a moment, and then subtly pointed towards a tall stack of boxes. Robin nodded and advanced stealthily. Raven waited behind, ready to stop anything that flew out.

The Boy Wonder finally reached the stack, and quickly leapt around it, ready to hit anything that attacked. But nothing was there. He frowned, looking around. Robin almost missed Raven's warning.

"Robin, behind you!" He twisted on his heel at her call, just in time to be knocked over by someone leaping out of a box. He quickly vaulted back onto his feet, facing the new foe. Raven landed on the remains of the stack, black energy crackling around her hand. There, standing on the edge of the building, was their not so mysterious gunner.

There was no missing the familiar torn cape and the skull mask. Robin smirked grimly. "Red X. Good to see you again. Especially without my belt."

The thief cocked his head, flipping the twin pistols in each hand. "I wouldn't say the reunion's too happy, kid. I might be happy, but I don't know if you'll be when I win." Red X flipped in mid air, disappearing into the rafters. His voice rang after him. "And I learned to live without your toys."

Robin flipped up after him, only to be met by a flurry of bullets. Robin twisted in the air, artfully avoiding each one. He drew his metal staff, the pole glinting in the wicked moonlight. Raven levitated up behind him. The threesome began a deadly dance upon the thin steel bars. Robin set after Red X with slow progress, struggling to dodge the bullets. He switched between running and dodging and shielding himself with the powerful cape. Red X, in turn, would constantly flip away from the attackers, letting off what seemed to be endless rounds of bullets. However, he had belts of ammo strapped around him that were set to quickly reload. Raven, on the other hand, was above both of them. She would alternate between blocking bullets from the thief, blocking them for Robin, and then throwing attacks of her black energy. However, the thief always managed to stay one step ahead.

Robin was close now. He could see that he could close the distance in one final leap. He did so, jumping from his steel bar straight at Red X. The thief shot off several rounds at him. Robin knew Raven would block them with her powers. However, he had not anticipated that at the same time, Red X would shoot off several rounds at Raven. The girl blocked all of the bullets pointed at Robin. She whispered her mantra, raising a shield in front of herself. "Azarath, Metrion, Zi…" She was cut off as the bullets reached her too quickly. Raven dodged most of them, but one grazed her thigh deeply, and another blazed across her cheek. She cried out, and fell through the rafters.

By then, Robin had reached Red X, and knocked him through the rafters as well. "Raven!" The Boy Wonder leapt through the hole Raven had created in the wood that crossed the steel bars. He landed on the rooftop, next to the now unconscious girl. Robin cradled her head in his lap and gritted his teeth. Red X would kill them if he got the chance. This was no longer the fight against a thief. He was fighting a killer.

Robin turned around, in time to feel a scalding burn in his side. A bullet had grazed his chest. He growled, rushing towards his conscious enemy. Red X shot off another few rounds, before drawing a knife and meeting Robin in battle. The Boy Wonder hissed in anger. He would pay for hurting his friend.

Starfire, in the meantime, had about had it with the wolf. Every time she or Cyborg attacked, it would simply dodge aside and continue it's escape. She looked ahead of her path of flight. The creature was headed for a very tall apartment building. The alien princess recognized this part of town. After Slade had taken over the city, most of it had been rehabilitated and rebuilt, though not much was destroyed. However, a small part on the outskirts of the city had never been used again. Gangs and thieves took refuge in the empty buildings, as this creature seemed to want to do.

The apartment building it was heading for was most definitely abandoned, for most of the windows were broken. She quickly formed a plan and looked down at the robot man sprinting beneath her.

"Cyborg! Shoot a hole directly where the werewolf will jump!" Cyborg skidded to a halt and did so, right before the creature jumped. It quickly changed direction, though it was thrown off for a moment, Starfire took this moment as her opportunity. The alien princess shot the wolf from behind, blasting it through the mid-section of the building. She signaled to the robot man that she would follow it in.

She flew up and then through the hole. Starfire landed softly on the ground of the empty apartment, her eyes glowing a magnificent, violent green. She looked around, disturbed dust spreading around her. The hole she had blown left debris everywhere. Part of the ceiling had even fallen in. The alien girl tried to locate the fallen beast, her starbolts at the ready. She tensed as she heard a strange noise coming from a large mound of plaster and wood. As she drew near, Starfire recognized the sound as growling.

She leapt backwards just in time, as the wolf creature stumbled out from behind the pile. Starfire was ready to blast him, until she realized something. He was snarling like a rabid dog, but he seemed not to even notice her presence. The alien girl then noticed several strange things about the wolf man. He was noticeably smaller and seemed to be…_shedding?_ Starfire stood still and gawked at the strange phenomenon unfolding before her. The creature twisted left and right, ripping at the fur on his skin. He snarled loudly, which gradually became the loud groan of a man. Starfire gasped. Before her, standing in a pile of fur and bones, was a ragged young man. He had a mess a blonde hair that was matted with blood. A large golden pendant hung from his neck. Long cuts ran up his bare chest. He wore a pair of very torn pants that had previously been hidden by a mass of fur. The thing that Starfire found most noticeable was his deep, soulful green eyes. A flurry of pain and lost hope swirled in those evergreen orbs. The man seemed to want to speak, for he opened his mouth. All that came out was a pained moan. He dropped to the ground, gasping for air. The alien princess gaped at him.

The veins on his back became very obvious, as if all the blood was trying to escape his body. It was like there was something within him, trying to break out. Finally, it went back to a normal appearance, and the young man collapsed in the pile of fur and bones. The Tamaranian ran forward without a though of caution and touched the top of his head. He stirred slightly, glancing up at her in a pitiful manner. His eyes sparkled with confusion. Starfire smiled sadly. Behind the ferocious exterior, there was a scared boy.

_No_, she corrected herself, _he is a man_. He looked at least three years older than her sixteen, if not more. Starfire leaned down, helping him into a sitting position.

"Why are you helping me?" His voice was surprisingly innocent. She could tell that he was puzzled by her compassion. After all, minutes ago he had tried to kill her and her friends. Starfire cocked her head sideways, hesitating.

"Why do you steal?" She whispered. The young man frowned at the question. Starfire wondered if he would attack her.

"I steal to live. No one would help me. No one would take me. I'm nothing more than a monster." He lowered his head, his lips curling into a grimace. Starfire lifted his chin and looked at him carefully.

"You are _not_ a monster. Your powers…all our powers…they might be curses, but they are also great gifts."

He looked at her again, his eyes glazing over. Then, he leapt to his feet, cradling the pendant in his fist.

"No. Not me. I'm cursed. All I can do is destroy." The young man backed away. "I thank you for your kindness, but trust me. In time, you would learn to hate me." He began to leave.

"What's your name?"

He cocked his head, backing out the door. "I don't have a name worth telling. All it represents is the boy who was left behind when the monster broke loose." With that, he ran.

Starfire's first instinct was to chase him and knock him to the ground. However, she stayed where she was, crouched on the ground. Green had encased her hand, but it died away just as quickly. She watched as he left, running out of the broken apartment and down the dark hall.

Starfire sighed. That man was not evil. He was just lost. She smiled bitterly. She was once that way too...

The alien girl stared down the empty hallway for a moment, and then stood and turned around. Robin stood right behind her.

Starfire swallowed a gasp of surprise. She looked him up and down. His costume was in tatters, and blood stained the corner of his lips. Several cuts and bruises covered his body. Starfire hesitantly reached forward to wipe his lips.

"What happened?" She stuttered slightly. As soon as she touched him, his hand flew up, catching her wrist. She didn't pull away, but looked at him in fear. Starfire recognized his expression. He was very, very angry.

"Let me go." She whispered.

"You let him go. Why should I do the same?" He voice was heavy laden with rage. Robin's grip tightened. She winced and then frowned.

"You are hurting me again." She stated calmly.

"I DON'T CARE! He was right there, and you let him go! Don't tell me he was just my imagination like last time! This was real! Why'd you let him get away?" He screamed in her face. Starfire remembered the time when Slade had triggered the dust on his mask to infect Robin. The Boy Wonder had been furious with her, though Slade had not been really there. But now, this was worse. And Starfire was angry with him. He did not have reason to be this mad.

"Get off me."

"No." He drew her closer, gritting his teeth. "He was right there! Do you even know who he was working with? Red X! He almost killed me, and got even closer to killing Raven! They're murderers! And you let him go! Whatever crimes he commits or blood he sheds from now on are on your hands!"

"Oh, do not even begin with that. Just because one kills, it does not make the other a murderer as well. That man is lost, just like I used to be. He makes mistakes! You do not see us taking you to jail for your mistakes, Now do you?"

"I don't steal, Starfire!" Robin's face was twisted with frustration.

"What about the original Red X?" She hissed in his face.

And then, Robin reached his breaking point. He grabbed her other wrist too. "HE ALMOST KILLED US! I AM NOTHING LIKE HIM! I HATE HIM!" He roared in her face. Starfire felt tears in her eyes. She wanted to run, to cry, or cower in fear. But, she forced herself to be strong. She looked up at him in anger.

"Let. Me. Go."

"WHY DID YOU LET HIM GO?" He shook her hard. She closed her eyes as the tears fell down. Suddenly, he stopped. She opened her eyes and looked at him. Robin was looking at her, shock apparent on his face. His grasp on her became soothing, and he pulled the crying girl into his arms.

"I'm sorry, Star. I shouldn't have yelled. What have I done? That was…awful. That was awful of me. I'm sorry. Please forgive me." He whispered in her ear. "I'm so sorry…"

She was tempted to forgive him, tempted to hold him and whisper her pardon. She then frowned.

"No."

He looked up, sadness and surprise crossing his features. "What?"

"No. I will not forgive you. You have hurt me, Robin. I cannot forgive you." With that, she let go of him and flew out the window. Robin watched her go, shocked in horror at what he had done. He had ruined everything.

**Scene Twelve: Vindicated**

The night was black and thick with defeat. The Titans stumbled back to their Tower with more than just physical wounds. Cyborg was the only one who was not injured in some way or another.

Beast Boy had fought gallantly against the man with the arrows, but had been knocked unconscious by a particularly nasty explosion. Robin had a myriad of deep cuts and bruises, Raven had bullet wounds, and Starfire was absolutely furious with Robin. Which, Robin thought, she had an excuse to be.

The Boy Wonder crossed his arms leisurely and leaned against the med center wall. Cyborg and Starfire had put Beast Boy and Raven on their respective beds, as they were both unconscious still. Cyborg had then proceeded to help Robin bandage up his sides, because Starfire vehemently opposed to even look at him. The Tamaranian instead made herself busy by treating Raven's bullet wounds.

Robin sighed, watching her work. Cyborg had finished and stood beside him.

"I'm sure she can't stay mad forever, man. I mean, what you did was obviously out of line, but she still loves you. In time she'll forgive you." The robot man put a hand on Robin's shoulder. "Just give it time."

He looked up at Cyborg and nodded wearily. He decided then that he would try to talk to her later that night.

Robin stood outside Starfire's door, rocking back and forth. He had adorned a pair of sweat pants and a black T-shirt, but his sides still ached. Chewing on his lip nervously, he brought a fist to the door.

A pause of silence.

"Who is there?" Starfire's voice rang from her room. It sounded as if she had been crying.

Robin gulped. "It's me, Star."

Silence.

"Uh…Look, I know you don't want to talk to me, because what I did was wrong. I'm just really sorry. Please open up." The Boy Wonder pleaded.

More silence.

"Star?"

"I do not wish to speak with you."

Robin frowned. "Starfire, please."

And then, without warning, the door flew open. Starfire stood before him, trails of tears running down her cheeks. She looked as if she was about to explode with rage. "Do you really think it will only take a "sorry" to resolve this problem? Stay away from me!"

With that she slammed the door in his face. Robin backed away slowly. He felt horrible. The Boy Wonder knew he deserved this treatment completely.

Later that night…(DUNDUNDUN)

It was late. Raven knew that, for the shades of night shrouded her as she strode down the hall. She had woken up in the darkness, and found that sleep did not appeal to her. The gothic girl crept towards the common room carefully.

The only reason Raven did so was because her empathetic powers were raging. She could feel the pain radiating from Starfire's room, as the Tamaranian tossed in a restless sleep. However, Raven also sensed pain coming from the main room. It was excruciating sadness and guilt that she knew only could come from Robin.

Her thigh stung with every step, as did her cheek. However, she had already begun to heal herself, and the bleeding had receded notably. Raven stopped once she reached the common room, only to find that the door was open. She leaned against the doorframe. Her eyes were focused on the bleary silhouette of a young man on the long couch. He was leaning over, head in hands, hidden by the blackness that was night's kiss.

Raven ran her tongue across her dry lips, weighing the situation. She really didn't know if she could comfort him at all, or even whether he would accept her condolences or not. She suddenly wished she had her cloak with her, but Cyborg had taken it to her room. The gothic girl felt odd without it.

_Hope dangles on a string,_

_Like slow spinning redemption,_

_Winding in and winding out,_

_The shine of it has caught my eye._

_And roped me in,_

_So mesmerizing, so hypnotizing,_

_I am captivated._

"You can come in, if you want."

The voice ran oddly throughout the quiet room. Raven raised an eyebrow. Apparently, she was not as quiet as she thought she had been. The gothic girl stepped down into the room, crossing around the couch, and stopped in front of Robin. He looked up at her and smiled weakly.

"You really don't give me enough credit." She knew he was referring to detecting her sneaking up on him.

"No, I guess I don't." Raven sad flatly, eyeing him. Even in the weak light of the moon, she could see the trail of tears that wet his cheeks. His hair was a mess, for he had obviously been using it as a handhold for holding his head. She sniffed, crossing her arms. "You look terrible."

"Thanks." Robin's lips quirked at her dry humor, though it was not much. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then rethought it.

"I know you probably don't want sympathy, and I'm here to say you don't deserve any. I don't know what happened exactly, but I got the picture in my mind from Starfire's emotions. You hurt her." Raven stiffly stated, eyeing the young man.

Robin looked at the floor. "More than I ever have before. I wouldn't blame her if she never forgave me, because you're right, I don't deserve it. When…" He paused, his voice choking.

"Go on."

"We were fighting for a reason that I now see she is right about. Completely right. The problem is simple: I don't know compassion, and I don't know how to love unconditionally."

Raven's lips twitched. She softened slightly, sitting down beside him. "Robin…"

"Don't tell me it's not true."

"It is, but only to a certain extent. Don't ever expect to comprehend the compassion Starfire feels. She has the rare ability to see the little bit of good in people who don't believe it exists. In your instance, she sees much more beyond your tough exterior." Raven entwined her fingers, looking at him cautiously.

"If what she sees in you is anything close to what I see, then apparently you can't be all that bad." She finished.

Robin raised his head, his eyes serious. "You don't have to say that to comfort me. There's so much darkness. The only light I have is my friends and my duty…"

She cut him off, putting a hand on his arm. "No. You can love. Starfire brings that out in you. Sometimes the darkness you put behind you likes to emerge. I know. I lose control, but that doesn't stop me from moving forward. You need to trust that she will find the heart to forgive you."

And he began to cry.

Raven struggled to keep her emotions intact. She reached forward, pulling him into her arms. She put her head atop his as he wept. The gothic girl took a breath and closed her eyes.

_Stop._

Raven's eyes snapped open as the voice rang inside her head. She frowned. Was that her emotions speaking?

_We know what will happen. We know. Stop now._

_Why?_

_Because we know._ She grimaced. Raven understood what her emotions were saying, despite the cryptic way. She was holding the man she loved. However, he was not hers.

Raven began to pull back, disgusted that she had taken such advantage of his weakened state. Robin looked up, not really letting go of her.

"What is it?" He sniffed.

She looked at him carefully. "I'm sorry, I have to go."

"Why?"

Raven frowned. She did not have an explanation that she wished to share with him. She found her eyes traveling the path of his tears. His eyes were full of an inestimable sadness, telling of loss and pain. She had no idea what was going through his head, because her own emotions were now running rapidly through her.

"Why do you see things in me that I can't see?" He whispered, still holding onto her waist.

Tears whispered at the edges of her eyes too. "Only those who truly love you see past the darkness."

Understanding came across his face as her tears broke free. She was vaguely aware of the random items in the room that began to break. Raven was about to get up and leave, when he leaned forward, cupping her face in his hand. She lost the precarious breath she was about to breathe, her brow knitting in surprise.

_So turn,_

_Up the corners of your lips,_

_Part them and feel my fingertips,_

_Trace the moment, fall forever._

_Defense is paper thin,_

_Just one touch and I'd be in,_

_Too deep now to ever swim against the current,_

_So let me slip away,_

_So let me slip against the current,_

_So let me slip away._

It was a moment that hung in the air. It would take one shift forward or backward to break. Forward, and betrayal would hold them both. Backward, and loyalty would overcome. And yet, it was a battle of love: love of a friend, or romantic love. Unfortunately, the more powerful pulled ahead. Robin closed the distance, and his lips fell upon hers.

In that movement, many things happened. The objects that had been exploding in Raven's power had stopped exploding. Silence bathed them, as did the darkness. It felt right, and yet both, in the back of their minds, knew that it was not. And yet…how could it be?

I am 

_Vindicated_

_I am selfish,_

_I am wrong,_

_I am right,_

_I swear I'm right,_

_Swear I knew it all along,_

_And I am flawed,_

_But I am cleaning up so well,_

_I am seeing in me now,_

_The things you swore you saw yourself._

It was wrong. Raven knew it, though her deepest wish had been fulfilled in a single, simple kiss. She could taste his tears, and with that she could taste her betrayal. Yet she did not pull back until he did.

Robin's eyes slowly opened.

_Slight hope,_

_Dangles on a string,_

_Like slow spinning redemption._

They had both quietly parted, not a word spoken between them. Robin walked her to her room, silence in the air. Raven turned to look at him, before she disappeared into her room. And yet, no words could have expressed what she needed to say. Nothing could have explained the kiss, nor could either of them summarize the change that had taken place that night. All they knew was that they had fallen onto a path, and neither could turn back.

And as they lay in their separate rooms, neither would sleep.

**Scene Thirteen: Chivalrous Notions**

She had to know. She had the right to know everything. Robin ran a hand through his hair. Starfire was the sweetest, kindest person he knew. And she had the right to know that he was betraying her.

It had started simply with one kiss. Both had wished it had been nothing more than being caught up in the moment. And yet, Raven and he both knew that was not true. He had realized the night after the kiss that he had feelings for her as well, though he had not seen it.

Soon, they began secretly meeting one another in the dead of night. It never amounted past a secret kiss and a deep conversation, which was fine for both of them. But the previous night, they finally brought up the issue at hand: Starfire.

"I don't want her to get hurt. She's always been there for me, no matter what I did to her. We need to fix this." Raven had whispered, entwining her fingers with his as the relaxed on the couch. Robin winced. Of course, she was right.

"I know. It's my responsibility. I will talk to her." Robin had replied, staring into the blackness around them.

And that was what had brought him to Starfire's door. The Boy Wonder braced himself, for knocking on the door meant breaking her heart.

He recalled the happenings of that morning:

_Robin strode down the hall, stifling a yawn. He stepped into the living room, pausing as he saw Starfire. Usually, no other Titan rose this early. He cocked his head, watching as she cooked eggs, humming to herself. _

_He strode over, puzzled. "What are you doing up so early?"_

_Starfire looked up, surprised. Then she broke into an ear-splitting grin. "I realized, friend Robin, that I did not accept your apology from last week. I decided to rise early and make the breakfast for you in forgiveness." _

_Robin was astounded, and guilt welled up in his stomach. _

"_Uhh…well, thanks, Starfire." She simply smiled back at him, scraping scrambled eggs onto a plate. She turned off the stovetop. Watching as he ate the food. Robin looked up, smiling._

"_This is really good. I love it!" He grinned, even though inside his guilt was threatening to split him open. _

"_I am glad." Starfire began to leave, but turned around with an afterthought. "And I love you."_

The Boy Wonder sighed. How could have even done what he did? He reached out, preparing himself to knock.

Suddenly, the door flew open, leaving him to stand there, astounded. Starfire stood in the doorway, her eyes widening in delight. "Robin, what has brought you here?"

He opened and closed his mouth several times, until he settled on an age-old phrase. "Star, we need to talk."

The Tamaranian princess nodded, letting him in. Robin looked around tiredly. Her room, as always, was simple and perfect. The round bed was made neatly with purple sheets. Everything else was neatly put away. The spaciousness made him nervous for some reason. Robin turned to look at her. The princess sat on her bed, looking up at him with wide eyes, waiting for him to speak.

"Ah, um, your room is…very clean." He laughed nervously, again messing with his hair. Starfire cocked her head, smiling curiously.

"I do not believe that is the subject matter about which you wished to speak with me."

"Ah, no." Robin looked at her. Starfire's emerald eyes sparkled at him. In them, he could see endless depths of compassion and love, along with the whispers of eternal beauty. He coughed, choking on his own culpability.

"Look, Star…"

"Friend Robin, you do not need to apologize further for what you did. I have forgiven you."

"No, wait…"

"I love you like I have loved no other, and it would not be right of me to hold anger against you." With that, the Tamaranian princess stood, moving to leave.

"Star, wait!" She spun around, her eyebrows raised. Robin's mouth hung open. He could not bear to tell her the bitter truth. The truth. That word seemed so far away.

"It's…nothing."

**Scene Fourteen: My Happy Ending**

"We can't do this."

Raven's eyes snapped open as she drew away from Robin. He looked deeply at her, tears welling in his eyes. "I just…I can't go on, knowing that I'm betraying Star. I just can't."

Raven stared at him, choosing her next words. Blackness cloaked the forlorn hallway. The only light came from the small red light on a camera that stared forward. The two had moved out of its sight line, only for precaution. The gothic girl, put a hand to his cheek, tracing the shadows the crimson light cast on his face.

"You could leave right now. You could completely forget about what has happened this past month. You could even forget that you kissed me, and that you have shared your deepest wishes and fears with me. But you know you cannot forget how you feel about me." She whispered quietly, pulling him closer. Robin closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of lavender that he had come so accustomed to.

"You're right." He laughed bitterly and quietly, putting his forehead against hers. "You're always right."

Raven scoffed, stealing a kiss. "I am most certainly not." She paused for a moment, taking in the sweet calm around them. "I think…I think we should tell her together. This is both our responsibility. It was wrong of me to let you try alone."

Robin accepted this, pulling her to the floor. Robin sat against the wall, his legs stretched out. Raven sat beside him, facing him, her legs tucked against her chest. Robin let his uncovered eyes focus on her deep, violet oceans. "Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we never met?"

"Well, I know one thing. I would not be fighting on the right side. You four are the only light I have…"

In a cold sweat, Starfire jumped up in terror. Vague images of her nightmare danced in her head, making the line of reality waver. The princess shook her head tiredly, tying back her fiery locks of hair. She looked around, clarity coming to her vision in the darkness. It had all been a bad dream. It had been a myriad of her fears, but in the end, it showcased her worst fear: being alone. Being rejected. It left her feeling dry and empty.

Starfire looked up. A sudden need for comfort overwhelmed her. And when in trouble, she always went to Robin. When she had first come to the tower, Robin had always comforted her when she had had nightmares. It had been a long time since then, but she was sure he would still be there for her.

Without another thought, the Tamaranian strode out of her room, straightening her tank top. She knew without doubt that he would still be awake. Robin had always found solitude in the night, a solitude that was needed. Starfire traversed the empty halls, heading towards Robin's room. As she reached his door, she formed her explanation in her head.

But apparently, it was in vain. She knocked several times, but there was no answer. Perhaps he was asleep, after all. Starfire was about to leave, but decided to open the door instead. She slipped her head inside, to be greeted with a disheartening sight. The room was empty.

Starfire chewed her lip tiredly. Well, that was a problem. She again considered going back to bed. The Tamaranian sighed. No, it would be pointless. She would not be able to sleep. It was not that she was afraid, but it was that the emptiness inside her was causing too much turmoil.

Starfire decided she would head to the living room, for a drink. She proceeded in the direction of the Titan's largest room. Fortunately, her room was parallel to the large room. She strode down the hall, but stopped when she crossed the sight line of a security camera. It was then, that an idea crossed her mind.

The cameras in the Tower were rarely used by the Titans. Only when there was the equally rare occurrence of a beak in, would the cameras be viewed. There was one room in the entire tower that monitored each camera. Starfire thought, that perhaps if Robin was still in the Tower, she could locate him with the cameras.

Starfire changed directions, taking the elevator to the floor with the monitor room. A few minutes later, she arrived. The room was fairly large, with at least thirty different screens. The door was coded, so that only the Titans could use it.

The Tamaranian settled down in a maroon chair, her eyes scanning each screen. Most of the monitors showed empty hallways. Also, the living room, garage, basement, storage room, and elevators were monitored. Starfire bit her lip. Another failed attempt. There was no movement in the entire Tower, save the kitchen, where Silkie was consuming the left over pizza. The girl was about to leave when a slight movement caught her eye.

In the very corner of one of the hallway screens was the top of someone's head. Starfire leaned towards the screen, her eyes squinting. It was indeed someone's head; by the looks of the black spikes, it was Robin. Starfire's eyebrow quirked curiously. Why was he sitting in the middle of a hallway?

She scooted the chair forward, pressing a button on the keyboard. "Computer, camera 46D, please." The computer brought this screen to the main monitor, letting Starfire take control of its movement. She took hold of the joystick, guiding the camera down and to the left.

There, outlined in the green night vision, was Robin. He sat against the wall, his head cocked to the side. Beside him was Raven. Starfire frowned. What exactly were they doing? The Tamaranian shook off the immediate jealousy that welled in her stomach. Of course there was a reasonable explanation to why they were hiding in a hall far past midnight. After all, they seemed to only be talking.

And then, it happened. The thing that Robin and Raven had been trying to prevent from happening, the thing that Starfire had never thought could occur. Robin leaned forward, and kissed Raven. It was a small gesture of affection, a soft reminder of his feelings. But it was enough to stab a knife in Starfire's heart.

_You were _

_All the things I though I knew_

_And I thought we could be_

At first she thought she was dreaming. It had to be an elaborate nightmare, a dark twist of her subconscious's making. Yes, that had to be it. Then why wasn't she waking up?

Reality hit her like a bomb. Robin, the boy she loved, and Raven, her closest friend, were betraying her. She was alone. The only person who had ever made her feel accepted and loved in this world was betraying her. Starfire would have laughed, because it seemed so preposterous. She found she couldn't even cry, because air refused to enter her throat.

And so she ran.

You were 

_Everything, everything that I wanted_

_We were_

_Meant to be, supposed to be_

_But we lost it_

_All of the memories_

_So close to me_

_Just fade away_

_All this time you were pretending_

_So much for my happy ending_

Beast Boy normally would have refused to even open an eye until noon. However, in the past few months, a change had come over him. He had become almost stoic towards everything, because of Raven. Sleep rarely came to him. He glanced at the clock in the kitchen. Six in the morning, half an hour until the sun came up. A perfect time to eat.

The green changeling heated up the stove, preparing to make tofu pancakes. All was quiet, until the door unexpectedly opened. Beast Boy frowned. He rarely encountered Robin in the morning, for the Boy Wonder liked to watch the sunrise from the roof. He was astounded when Starfire entered the room

His surprise grew as he watched her. She glanced up, acknowledging his presence. Her eyes were bright red, fresh from crying. Concern welled in his stomach. There was a deadness in her emerald eyes that he had never before seen. They were void of emotion.

Beast Boy also took in her attire. She was haphazardly dressed in old jeans and a black jacket. It was an odd thing, for Starfire never wore black. He watched her as she walked over to the cabinet. The Tamaranian was carrying a backpack that obviously was already full of several items. She stuffed the remaining room with random packaged food. Then, she grabbed three bottles of pre-packaged water.

Starfire lifted the bag, placing it on the counter. She began zipping it up, ignoring Beast Boy's stare. Finally, the changeling found his voice.

"What are you doing?"

She looked up, almost looking surprised at his voice. Starfire stopped what she was doing, staring back at the boy. Finally, she crossed the area between them, and embraced him in her arms. He held her, puzzled.

She finally pulled back, looking up at him. "You were always there for me, like a brother. Remember that."

And then, realization dawned upon Beast Boy. Starfire was leaving. He looked down at her, protest playing at his lips. One look at the determination in her face, and he knew he could not stop her. Tears welled in his eyes, and he found his voice.

"Why?"

_It's nice to know that you were there_

_Thanks for acting like you cared_

_And making me feel like_

_I was the only one_

_It's nice to know we had it all_

_Thanks for watching as I fall_

_And letting me know _

_We were_

_Done_

"Ask Raven. She could tell you. Or maybe Robin. He might let you know what he wouldn't tell me. Goodbye, Beast Boy. Tell Cyborg what I told you."

And with that, she walked out the door.

_He was _

_Everything, everything that I wanted_

_We were_

_Meant to be, supposed to be_

_But we lost it_

_All those memories so close to me _

_Just fade away_

_All this time you were pretending_

_So much for my happy ending_

_So much for my happy ending…_

AN: DUDE THAT WAS LONG. Oh well, long wait, long chapter…Anyhow…..REVIEWWWWWWW……

Next Chapter: **Act Two: Nobody's Home, Part One: **Years later, we witness the life of Kori Anders, model and actress. Kori does her job well, and keeps in shape with a personal trainer with a mysterious side (let the guessing game begin.) However, her mostly perfect life is thrown off when she shoots a commercial with Garfield Logan, another actor. Can we say blast from the past? Good thing he doesn't recognize her. (No soap opera! Yay!)

Promises: Really, this story is Star-centric, but really, it isn't the Star we all know and love. She goes through changes (classic Star, model Star, evil Star, angsty Star, crazy Star, wheeee) No soap opera in the next chapter. Pure drama and angst and action. And yes, I have decided, chapter eight or nine will be the one where we find out who tries to kill Rob………………….maybe seven if I'm feeling nice.

Funny story from a while ago: Me and my friends were late for a movie, so we were running inside the theater, and in the darkness, my friend knocked over some lady who then got up and cussed her out…


	5. Nobody's Home, Part One

Changeless Scars 

AN: Ok, so here we go with another round. I'm glad I got done with the last chapter, because to me the whole plot revolves around "Act two." All the stuff I wanted to write is in this section and the next. So, yeah, I'm excited. Anyways…… Sorry this took so long, I had an uber mind blank again.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Titans. I also don't own any other DC comics character mentioned. I don't own Alexander Pope or Lord of the Flies, which are briefly mentioned. DUDE! I love Lord of the Flies! That's like, one of my favorite books! It's great! I also don't own Johnny Cash, another amazing person. Or Poe.

AND NOW, PRESENTING A SHORT BEAST BOY SKIT, PART THREE!

Beast Boy's room is dirty.

It is spawning sentient creatures.

Raven runs for her life.

Ok, so not much else to say. On with the show. Most people know who Kori is, but if you don't oh well. I guess you'll find out. The name "Rodan Katsuma" is my own invention, but he is someone that is NOT and OC.

By the way.

Smoking kills.

Sorry about my lack of knowledge concerning movie sets. I've never been to one, only seen it on television.

IMPORTANT: For those of you who despise Beast Boy/ Starfire, don't worry. It ain't really there. There mostly just close friends here. Nothing more. Star only gets the strong silent types in this story AKA Robin and someone else who will become obvious eventually.

Act Two: Nobody's Home 

The lines were drawn. On one side, seven heroes stood at the ready. On the other side stood the four thieves.

_Nightwing stood in front of his team, double staffs at the ready. He gazed upon the enemy, apprehension tightening his muscles. At the head of the other team stood Red X, his twin pistols in his hands. Behind him stood the Wolfman and Hawke. And above them, floating in mid air, was the girl. Her violet eyes blazed with hatred, twin katana blades spinning around her in a deadly pattern. She sneered directly at him. _

_The battle was about to begin._

**Scene One: Behind Blue Eyes**

Three years after Act One…

"Hey, baby! So I was walking this morning, and guess whose beautiful face I saw? Only the hottest model and actress of the year! You were all over the magazine stand, baby!"

If one thing, Jonathan Sanders was definitely half-witted. Kori Anders knew this from the first moment she saw him. But, on the other hand, he was rich, handsome, and famous. And that was good for her image.

A small smile lit her face as she flipped a strand of blonde hair over her shoulder. Kori adjusted her sunglasses, looking up at the tall and rugged John. "Of course, honey. What do you think I get paid for?"

The Los Angeles sun beat down on her swimming pool, but she didn't mind. Her tanned skin could use some fine-tuning. John sat beside her, waving the butler over. "Bring me a margarita, will you, Jimmy?"

James, the butler, stiffened slightly at the nickname, and then turned to leave. "Of course, sir."

"So, I was thinking, baby, since you have the day off, we should hit the beach or something." John grinned, stretching himself over the chair.

_You, thinking? That's rare. _Kori frowned, sipping her drink. "I'm on hold, which is not free."

"C'mon, baby! Forget about work for a day!" John exclaimed, turning on his side.

Kori stared at him, astounded. "Forget about work? Might as well just throw away my life! You know that people like us can't just throw away our work! It would be a social disaster, idiot!"

John stood up, angered. "I know that. It's just…we don't have any time for us anymore."

"Our jobs come first, John. Our relationship is just leisure." Kori hissed and turned away as her cell phone rang. John scowled and turned on his side, grabbing the margarita from James as soon as he returned.

Kori rolled her eyes, as her agent began chatting excitedly.

"Kori! I know I told you we had a photo shoot scheduled for today, but I had it moved to tomorrow. Instead, I want to get you a new fitness trainer. There's been a rumor that a new action flick is in the makings, and they want you. I figured it was a perfect opportunity to get rid of that idiot you have training you now. Be ready in an hour. I'll send a limo over."

Kori sighed. Her agent didn't believe in asking her opinion. Such was the life of a model and actress. "Right, Ben, I'll be ready."

"So, Mr. Katsuma is actually a friend of mine. I've recommended him to many a client. He instructs every kind of kung fu ninja crap you can think of. Most importantly, he keeps people in good shape. Of course, you'll have private lessons." Ben Henson rattled on the entire trip in the limousine. Kori nodded at appropriate times, fiddling with a strand of her golden hair. Her mind was on John, who was currently mad at her. She didn't care though. He was replaceable.

Finally, the limo arrived at a big building. It was a plain building, with nothing particularly extravagant about it. Kori followed Ben, placing her large pink sunglasses back on her face. The walls were all a simple white. At the front there was a counter. Beyond that, there was a huge, matted expanse. It was the size of a gymnasium. One long wall was completely covered in a large mirror. Along the other walls were racks of various weapons. Punching bags and other such practice items were also set up. At the back, there were three enclosed rooms for private lessons.

As Ben went to the front desk to speak with the person behind it, Kori watched the class that was currently occurring. About twenty-five adults stood perfectly space from one another. They all wore white uniforms, and held bo staffs. At the very front, facing the group, was a tall man. He was also dressed in a white uniform, but his black belt, with several stripes to signify his importance, stood out from the others, for they all wore brown. Apparently, they were not yet at his level. The man had a stiff face, and by his features, he looked Japanese. Kori assumed that it was Master Katsuma.

Beside Katsuma, though, was a tall young man. He did not look exactly Japanese. His hair was black and, for the most part, straight. It was slightly longish, but cut so that it set at a curl at the nape of his neck. His facial features, though, set him apart. He had cold brown eyes. His jaw was strong, and he looked as if he was scowling. He was following Katsuma's motions expertly, helping teach the class. Kori decided he would have been incredibly handsome, were it not for the scowl.

"Kori, hon. You are all scheduled up. This class will end in about ten minutes, and then we're going to meet Katsuma." Ben ushered Kori to one of the ten seats that faced the matted expanse. Kori did not protest. She didn't mind acting like a jerk to John, but Ben controlled her life. A life she didn't care about.

Soon enough, the brown belts left after a lecture from Katsuma. Most of them looked at Kori in awe. The model simply rolled her eyes. Even living in Los Angeles where stars were often seen, some of the "normal" people still acted like idiots. After the room was vacated, Ben strode towards the Master, with Kori trailing behind him.

"Master Katsuma! Good to see you! I'm sure you know Miss Anders…" Ben excitedly shook the Master's hand. Katsuma nodded solemnly to Ben and then moved to Kori.

"It is good to meet you, Miss Anders." Kori politely shook Katsuma's hand, but did not speak.

"I've signed Kori up for private lessons. Her current fitness program is not efficient enough for the modeling business today, so I wanted her to try something knew. We have her signed up to start tomorrow."

"Ah, I see. I don't suppose, Ben, I could have a word with you?" Katsuma eyed Kori and then strode a distance away with Ben.

Kori stood by herself, save for the stony glance of the young man. He stood a mere ten feet from her. She glanced at him, and their gazes locked. Icy brown met bright blue in an odd glance of apprehension. The man eyed her over, and then sneered.

"What's your problem?" Kori rudely asked. She didn't care though. She was Kori Anders. She was famous. No one would treat her that way.

The young man scowled his constant scowl and moved within conversation distance.

"I don't like famous people. They're all a bunch of stuck up jerks." The young man hissed, so that neither Katsuma nor Ben would hear.

Kori was aghast. "How dare you! You don't even know me, idiot." She muttered back. He smirked in a way that made her skin crawl with hatred.

"I don't have to, princess."

She stopped and stared at him. Something about the way the nickname rolled off his tongue struck a note of familiarity. Kori cocked her head, a frown encasing her lovely features. His voice sounded similar to one of the past, someone she never wanted to think about again…

"Hey, Kori! I was talking to the Master. He has recently been instructing his son on how to give private lessons, and he wondered if you'd be interested in being the guinea pig. I told him, of course! So, you'll be training with his son. Don't worry, he's fully trained and certified." Ben strode over, unaware of the odd moment between Kori and the young man.

Master Katsuma followed. "Yes, Miss Anders. I would like you to meet my son, Rodan Katsuma." He gestured to the young man next to Kori.

Kori smiled gracefully. "It's good to meet you, Master Rodan." She spat out the "master" with contempt.

"Same to you too, Miss Anders." He equally emphasized the "miss" with hatred. The two held each other's stony gaze. Ben smiled, ignorant to the loathing right in front of him. And instant loathing it was.

**Scene Two: Voices of the Past**

"You're late, princess."

Kori threw here gym bag to the floor of the private training room. She glared at Rodan, who was casually smoking a cigarette.

"That's disgusting. Your lungs are going to resemble asphalt before you're even twenty-five."

"Pity, princess. Seeing as I'm twenty-three, I guess death will have come early." Rodan stepped on the offending cigarette, and then trashed it.

Kori scowled in disgust. "Don't call me princess."

"Let's get started on the first lesson, _princess_." Rodan removed his jacket, so that he was left in a black wife beater and similarly black sweat pants.

Kori stripped out of her jacket, and faced her instructor. She herself wore black sweat pants, though she had a green tank top. Rodan looked her over in an odd way that made her feel uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. "Well, at least you don't wear all pink fluff like the other airhead actresses we teach."

"You really don't like my business, do you?"

"I thought the answer would be obvious. Now, let's start off and see what level you should begin with. I'm curious to know if you can hold yourself in a fight, or if you're simply an idiot girl with muscles."

Kori frowned. Of course she knew how to fight. Despite the fact that she had rarely needed to use what she knew, her old friends had still stressed she learn a basic knowledge of fighting hand-to-hand. Not that she wanted to think about them. But it was necessary to recall what she secretly knew.

Rodan lunged at her, going for an easy flip. However, she evaded just as easily, letting her body slide so that she could snap a low kick at him. Rodan, having the better training, leapt over her foot. He turned to face her.

"I see you're not stupid, princess." Rodan scowled his customary facial expression, and then threw a few punches. She could tell he was not trying to hurt her as she blocked them all. She let her eyes close as she continued twisting and moving in defensive positions.

It felt good to feel the bend in her muscles and adrenaline from a good fight. She let herself remember how it felt to spar with _him_, how they would dance a dangerous and powerful fight. How they would lightly touch one another. How, though it had been a fight, she would shiver when she felt his warm breath. This almost felt like that, except then she had used her flying ability too. But she hadn't flown in years. Kori didn't even think she could anymore. There was no joy in her heart.

She flinched as one of Rodan's punches finally flew home to her side. It didn't hurt exactly, it just left a slight sting.

Rodan stopped, a slight sweat on his brow. He met her tired blue gaze. "I believe, princess, I took you for granted. Mind you, you're barely aggressive at all. Nevertheless, where the heck did you learn to do all that?"

Kori smirked. "That's my business, Katsuma." Rodan raised an eyebrow.

"Never call me that. Ever. Clear, princess?" He hissed.

She was surprised by his sudden outburst. "Crystal."

Three months later…

Kori sipped her water laxly. She didn't mind the fact that the training session had been particularly grueling that day. Her movie deal with the action flick was sealed, and she was in perfect shape for it. Rodan had worked her hard, and she now knew more than just basic moves. She was well schooled in several forms of fighting.

It had come to her like an art. Her people felt that war was just another art. She had known the fighting style of her people, and now she knew many earthen styles as well. A small smile lit her lips. Kori wondered if she could beat _him_ now.

Kori's eyes drifted across the private training room. Rodan Katsuma stood across the room, putting away the protective fighting gear in a storage closet. In the months they had been training together, they had formed an odd relationship. Playful insults were still thrown. Part of her still loathed his angry and cynical manner. However, she had learned of his other side. He was passionate when he fought. To him, it was the only escape and ventilation for his tumultuous feelings. Rodan was also incredibly intelligent. He appreciated many forms of good literature.

She herself had turned to schooling herself well in the past three years. After many years of being naïve to the earth, she had taken to teaching all the ways of man and had consequentially become quite a lover of books. She read anything she could, anything she could comprehend. Many a time after her lessons, she and Rodan had discussed the finer points of Alexander Pope or the meaning behind _Lord of the Flies._

Kori felt a small bit of happiness inside. It was refreshing to be able to relate to someone on a deep level. Often in the acting and modeling business, there was shallowness to the perpetrators. Not so with her fitness trainer.

Rodan finished putting away the equipment. He almost left the closet, but stopped. He paused momentarily at a rack of wooden swords. Finally, he drew four swords, putting them under an arm.

"You up for some overtime, princess?" Rodan raised an eyebrow, his icy dark eyes filled with pent up frustration.

Kori eyed him warily. She was tired, but he intrigued her. "I don't have anything on schedule for the rest of the day. Why not?"

Rodan nodded, throwing two of the katana practice swords to her. She caught them both, curiosity in her expression. "What are we going to do?"

Rodan began twirling his wooden blades casually. "Sparring. I know we've practiced with one sword before, but I'm curious as to how you do with two."

"Well, sounds interesting enough. Let's go." Kori stood up from her position against the wall, bearing the two swords outward at her sides.

Rodan fixed her with his powerful gaze. It was one she was used to, one that caused her spine to tingle. His eyes were looking her over like she was going to be prey to his lack of fulfillment. Like he was hunting her.

She had been a quick learner to his ways, easily mastering everything he threw at her. Her people were natural warriors. Fighting was like second nature to her. Well, first, now that her "caring" personality had dissipated.

Kori easily imitated his stalking footwork, matching his with her own light-footed pace. She held the practice swords wide away to each side.

Each was waiting for the other to make the first move. Kori decided easily how to approach her opponent. She lunged at him, and he instead readied himself to parry and strike. He was about to make a quickened hit to her unguarded side, but she changed course at the last minute. Instead, she twisted behind him, moving to hit him with both swords. However, he just as swiftly moved the swords in cross motion behind his back. He caught both her wooden blades, and flipped up into the air.

Rodan landed to her side, but she moved to attack him. They moved fluidly in perilous dance that was battle. They twisted and leapt around one another, parrying, blocking, and striking. Each blade met its counterpart, never touching flesh. Rodan was a master of long taught lessons. Kori was a natural born fighter. They engaged around one another in vicious pirouettes and threatening capers. It was an intriguing twisting of two bodies with only the sweet notes of their heavy breaths and pounding feet as their music.

Finally, Rodan was able to hit her wrist, knocking a sword out of her hand. She blocked his onslaught to the best of her ability, but eventually lost her other sword. He pushed her against the wall, a sword at her neck and waist.

The two stared at each other intensely, both reflecting on the battle instead of the impingement between them. Their breaths slowed in unison, bringing the dance to a close with the final touches of deep gulps for air.

Kori mentally located in her memory what he had done to overcome her, how she could stop it in the future. Rodan closed his cold brown eyes, taking his exhaustion into account. In battle, he hardly noticed the toll the frightening speed took upon him. Now, once they were done, he could feel numbness biting at him. He invited it.

Rodan dropped the swords, and moved over to where he kept his water. Kori followed suit, finding her own. Once they had re-hydrated, Rodan looked at her.

"You did well, Princess. Better than with one sword. You could have easily overtaken almost anyone that had not mastered the art, despite what they were armed with."

Kori was surprised by the complement, but took it with a nod of her head. After sipping her water some more, she looked back at him.

"You know I'm leaving in a week to film in Steel City."

"Yes, I know."

"I've been meaning to ask you something. I want to stay in the best possible shape during filming, as I am playing an assassin. I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me." Kori finished tentatively. They had started off as enemies, but he was now the closest thing she had to a friend. It was a reasonable incentive for him to come, but it was untrue. She really could not bear to go several months without their playful banter or deep discussions. She had been alone for too long.

Rodan chewed on his tongue, eyes barely warming as he pondered. He finally turned, putting away the swords. When he emerged from the closet, he answered, "I mean, I guess my father will have to do lessons on his own. I'd have to cancel my other private lessons. You are our best payer, though, and…"

He stopped as she broke out into a grin. It was the happiest he had ever seen her. "Thanks, Katsuma, you're my hero."

Rodan watched her go, scratching the back of his neck.

"If only you knew…"

"Kori, hon, I don't know about this movie thing. We already signed and stuff, but seriously. Gar Logan isn't exactly the most successful actor. He's the king of summer horror flicks, but nothing big, like you've done."

"Look, Ben, I don't care. I'm trying to sleep."

"But Kor, hon, seriously…"

"Are you bothering her?" A deep voice came over the back of Ben's plane seat. Ben shivered, turning around slowly. He met Rodan's dark brown eyes with a shiver.

"I…uh…of course not!" Ben grinned sheepishly over his first class seat. Rodan smirked coldly, returning to his seat behind Kori.

Ben breathed hard, and then leaned into the actress. Kori had her eyes closed and her head on a pillow.

"Why did you have to bring him?" Ben hissed. Kori smiled, even though her eyes were still closed.

"I like him."

"Why would you ever be friends with some jerk like that?"

"He scares the crap out of you."

**Scene Three: A Touch of Remembrance**

A knock resounded on the dressing room door. They were to begin in exactly an hour, and Kori wanted to take every second of the time she had left to listen to music and run over the script for that day's scenes. The building was stocked with costumes and equipment. There were several rooms that were used for makeup application and dressing. Kori sat in one such adjacent room. There was a door to the building, and a door to the outside. Apparently, someone from the outside was here to bother her. She groaned at the knock.

Kori had forced herself to rise an hour early, merely so that she could have some peace before a day of hectic shooting. Despite the fact that it was four forty-five in the morning, she was wide awake. And apparently so were others.

"Come in." She groaned, tucking a strand of her mussed blonde hair behind her ear. The door to her dressing room opened quickly and Ben entered.

"Kori, why are you here already? They don't start work for another half an hour! You need rest, baby!" Ben was hyperactively awake, his usual manner. Kori sighed, turning down her music slightly and putting down the script.

"Ben, I'm fine."

"Now, Kori, you know…"

He cut off when a strong hand was put on his arm. "She said she was fine, Mr. Henson." Behind him, silhouetted by the wakening world, Rodan Katsuma glared darkly at the shorter man. His dusky features were cast over into an even deeper darkness by the brilliance that begin to take hold of the world. In short, his tanned face was frightening to behold.

"I…I…I'll be leaving now." Ben bolted from the room with utmost enthusiasm, leaving Rodan and Kori alone. The blonde actress smiled up at him. She found him utterly endearing at times.

"I couldn't sleep. My hotel room is boring." Rodan droned stiffly. Because he had no actual part in the movie besides sparring with her when time allowed, he stayed in a hotel not far from the set. Steel City was large and mechanical, but there were indeed the occasional hotels. The virile young man closed the door behind himself, taking a seat on an unoccupied chair. Kori turned to face him, idly holding her book.

Her blue eyes coasted over his expression, wondering at the visit. He too eyed her, wandering of the face he now knew as his only friend. It soon became uncomfortable to stare at one another, and Rodan instead glanced at her book.

"Poe? I didn't know you liked him."

She smirked halfheartedly. "I like a few of his poems and stories."

"I like the stories. Poetry is too thick with laments or joys about love. It's all very repetitive." Rodan explained, leaning over. He was clothed simply in a black T-shirt and black leather pants. Kori noted that she couldn't really see him in any other color.

"Love isn't a terrible thing to read about. It controls so much about us…" Kori frowned, distancing herself mentally. Rodan noticed the drift in her mood, and decided not to inquire of such.

"It's simply verbose."

"You can't understand it unless you've been in love. Listen.

'But our love it was stronger by far than the love  
Of those who were older than we-  
Of many far wiser than we-  
And neither the angels in heaven above,  
Nor the demons down under the sea,  
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul  
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee…'"

Kori finished reading from the book. "Even after death, he still loved her with his whole heart. Not that all loves are that way…" She distanced herself again, moving away to long forgotten territory.

That was the funny thing about Rodan. For some unknown reason, he brought her to memories and musings she had long wished to completely forget. His presence forced her into the introspection of her past life. It threw her off. And he knew he did it to her.

But he never asked. Why did he never ask? He could see it every time she left, every time her mind had the inclination to revisit long untrodden places. She turned to him, watching Rodan gaze at her. It made her mad. If he forced her to such places, why did he never query towards the truth?

And why did he make her remember? What was it about him?

He had never once acted upon the pained look he often saw on her face. Until that day.

Kori suddenly felt a presence that was real, one that was there right then, instead of a past entity. It was true and warm, feeling. It was a strange sensation, being held by Rodan Katsuma.

He had lifted her from her chair and into his impregnable grasp, against his stiff chest. She frowned, not meeting his eyes. Her hands met his chest, and she scowled at them in confusion at the sudden pull from her world of haunting memories of betrayal. Slowly, though, she lowered her forehead to the crook of his neck, taking in the scent she had often longed to dwell on. His tanned skin smelled oddly like the world right after a rain fall, when all is fresh and anew. Rodan, in turn, rested his chin in her dandelion hair, closing his eyes. She had been lost in her memories for too long.

They stayed like that for a long time, unmoving and silent. It was a fragile moment, one that could be flawed and shattered with a single word. And so they said nothing.

But then, there was a knock.

Kori groaned tiredly, slowly pulling from the warm grasp that she had found herself glad to be lost in. Rodan also sluggishly moved away, drugged by the heaviness he had caused between them. Kori moved to the door, opening it.

Outside the door, now clothed in the morning light, was a young man. He was slightly taller than her, with a vaguely muscular build, raven brown hair, and a huge grin. He looked at her sheepishly, and she immediately recognized him as her costar.

"Gar? What are you doing here?" Kori asked, a completely neutral look on her face. The young actor shuffled his feet and looked down in shame when he saw that she already had company.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything." He apologized quickly. Rodan moved next to Kori, motioning for Gar to move as well.

"I was just leaving." Rodan muttered, and darkly stalked away. Kori frowned after him, coldness overtaking her.

"I'm sorry, I'll leave." Gar turned to go, but Kori stopped him.

"No, it's okay. What did you want to say? I already know we're starting in half an hour." Kori asked.

"I don't know, I just wanted to talk. Y'know, I kind of wanted to get to know you a little bit. It's easier to act like you love someone when you at least know them." Gar looked embarrassed as he mentioned the story of the movie. It was your regular "shoot-em-up" movie, but there was the romantic subplot as well.

Kori smiled. He was a bit nerdy in his mannerisms, but she generally found him pleasant. "Come in, Gar."

As he passed, the sun glinted on a metal ring on his finger. For some reason, she could have sworn she had seen the dark band before.

Scene Four: Invitation to Disaster 

In the end, she decided simply that she had seen too many bad things in the world to cry. Kori sat, staring idly at the cell phone on top the tabloid. She had been given an entire day where she was not required to film anything, and it ended up a disaster.

There, on the cover of the tabloid, was a large picture of Jonathan Sanders making out with a brunette model. Kori smirked. At least she looked like a walking advertisement for plastic surgery. The cell phone call to John simply confirmed the truth. He had moved on. The reason? Because Kori was decent enough not to sleep with him outside of wedlock. It was a completely stupid reason to break up with her, and it proved to her that John was nothing more than another chauvinistic jerk. Kori sighed, moving her azure eyes to the window. On the bright side, she herself knew she didn't love him. She had never loved him.

The actress watched the dreary, starless night hazily. Her room she was staying in was dark, save the vague illumination caused by the muted television. Kori wished momentarily that she had chosen a different path. That she had stayed with her family, and kept her heritage and title. But nevertheless, that had never sat with her. Her sad eyes flicked away from the window, over the television, and to the wall. She glanced back at the television, as something interesting had caught her eye.

She frowned, turning the sound back on. The news report went as such:

"Earlier today, the Steel City Bank was broken into and robbed of thousands of dollars. Police are still on the scene, investigating what they call an ingenious heist. Not only did they break through numerous safe guards, but they knocked out everyone with gas within five seconds of their entry. The only thing they have that indicates the identities of the multiple thieves involved is a very brief tape…"

The tape played. It was a regular scene from the main room of the bank, until three unusual people entered the door. There was a very brief glance of the three, before one pressed a button connected to their belt and shorted out the device. The tape went blank.

Kori tuned out the rest of the report, playing the tape over in her mind. She had always had an excellent photographic memory. The first one in had been masked. He had been carrying a long weapon, probably a staff or a bow. The second had looked fairly normal, but something about his scruffy light hair struck a note of remembrance with her. The third man had been clad in leather. He had worn a helmet that from the camera angle looked to have been some sort of mask.

Kori frowned. Three villains…

Her eyes went wide. It couldn't be…She glanced back at the television, which was replaying the tape. Kori watched closely. The third man, in the end of the tape, inclined his head slightly to the camera. From the angle, she saw the tell-tale white of a skull, and the red x that marred it.

Memories threatened to attack her all at once. The scruffy young man must have been him. The one she let away. The one that caused the riff. The one that inevitably caused her departure.

Visions of screaming, fighting with him. _Him._

And suddenly, a knock on her door disturbed her thought process. She rose, breathing deeply before she opened the door. She decided vaguely at the sight of him, that Rodan Katsuma blended with everything night. The moonlight lay across his broad shoulders like the grand mantle of a king.

"Yes?"

Rodan looked tired. His normally alert features were drowsy with exhaust and fatigue. "As I've said before, my hotel room is boring, princess."

"Come in." Kori sighed, moving to let him enter the dark room. He stood oddly off balance as he watched her shut the door. She turned to him, cerulean eyes meeting cold chestnut. An awkward silence sat over them. Kori noted to herself that this had happened several times in the past few months. "Do you want to watch TV?"

Rodan nodded, "Looks like you already were." They both moved to the small couch. Rodan seemed very fond of his leather pants, Kori thought as she watched him sit next to her. He sat close to her, and she knew she wished he hadn't. The volume of the TV was still on, so she fixated her eyes on the glowing screen. Rodan sank into the material of the couch, almost as if he was in pain. Kori ignored him, paying attention to the report. There had been a commercial break, but now a reporter was interviewing the chief of the Steel City police force.

"Officer, obviously, none of the criminals were caught. However, I have been hearing reports that one of them was slightly wounded in the heist. Is there any truth to this assumption?" The reporter asked.

"The police force had been alarmed immediately, but could not enter the building, due to the strong concentration of knock-out gas still present in the air. However, apparently, before the thieves made their escape through the roof door, one of the bank employees awoke. He had been only briefly exposed to the gas, as he worked in the back of the building. The employee saw the thieves, and attempted to assault them in an effort to escape the bank himself. He succeeded in hitting one in the back with a metal bar, but then was knocked out by what he describes as a 'demon wolf.'" The chief explained to the reporter.

Kori closed her eyes. So it was them. The 'demon wolf' comment proved it. Her first instinct was to rush to the scene of the crime, and investigate. However, she was no longer a crime fighter. She was Kori Anders, actress and model. There was no purpose in fighting them. The flood of memories their presence brought back was highly unwelcome, however.

"You okay, princess?" She turned her head to Rodan. His features were illuminated in the flashing colors of the television, making him look even darker. Concern lit his chestnut eyes. However, some other unidentifiable emotion burned mercilessly behind it. It was not the first time Kori had seen the fire burning within him, but it was at that moment that she had become aware of what it was burning for. The internal flame of emotion was burning for _her._ She suddenly found she didn't want to breathe in the wave of suffocating attraction she felt. Their eyes locked.

"What do you want from me, Rodan?" Kori whispered, her blue eyes clouding with confusion. Rodan leaned closer, the concern in his eyes completely taken over by the burning sensation. He grinned oddly.

"Glad you asked…" Rodan trailed off. Kori felt, more than saw him leaning in further. Her breath hitched in her throat, and she closed her eyes.

And then, the phone rang. Kori groaned angrily, springing back from her amorous trainer in sudden realization of what she had been about to do. Kiss her teacher? The thought seemed tempting, but she pushed it away as she walked into the kitchen. Grabbing the phone and composing herself, she answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Kori." A recognizable voice greeted her.

"Hi, Gar. What's up?" Kori leaned against the counter, ignoring the fact that she had left Rodan alone in the dark living room.

"Um, well…you know how we don't have any scenes to shoot on Christmas Eve? Well I was wondering if you were busy during our break…"

"Uh, no, I don't think so…" Kori trailed off, a small smile coming to her face. During the past month, she had easily gained Garfield Logan as a friend. He was an excellent actor, as well as a generally amicable person. Spending time with him would be enjoyable.

"Great!" Gar sounded a bit too excited. "I have some friends who live by the city, and they invited me for a Christmas party. It'll be sort of a reunion type thing, and they said I could bring a date. I mean, it doesn't have to be a real date, if you don't want it to be. It could be like a friend date, but just not really a date, because, you know, I figured you might not be comfortab—"

"Gar, I would love to go with you." Kori smirked at his ranting.

"And you know, friends can—wait, you said yes?" Gar paused.

"Yes, Gar, I'll go on a date with you." Kori rolled her eyes.

"Awesome! I'll pick you up around six on Christmas Eve!" Kori imagined she could practically see Gar grinning like a mad man as he spoke.

"Sounds good. I'll talk to you late, Gar." Kori felt a small smile tug at her lips at his foolery.

"Great! Seeya then!" Gar excitedly finished, hanging up the phone.

Kori sighed, putting the phone back on the console. Suddenly, she felt a sudden rush of warmth behind her.

"Going on a date with Garfield?" Rodan hissed in her ear. Her back tensed, but she refused to be frightened by him.

Kori turned around, and crossed her arms across her chest. "Why yes I am." She eyed him, challenging. "What's it matter to you?"

Rodan grunted angrily, before crashing his lips onto hers. Kori gasped, but not in surprise. A part of her had been hoping he'd do that. It wasn't until that very moment that she realized how much she had wanted to kiss Rodan Katsuma.

He lightly nudged her against the counter, his arms encircling her waist with fervor. Kori kissed him back vigorously, her arms roaming his back. Rodan pulled back for air for a moment, but then met her lips again in another violent kiss.

She encircled his neck with one arm, and let her other hand trail down his spine. Kori found herself lost in the heat of the moment. Suddenly, she became aware that her hand had met some sort of marring on his back. Even through his thin shirt she could feel some sort of bruised and swelled wound on his back. Rodan grunted in slight pain, ripping himself from her grasp.

Kori eyed him, thrown off by his reaction. Someone had hit him there, hard. "What happened?"

He looked straight at her, as if pondering whether to kiss her again or not. His brow furrowed, right before he stormed out the door.

AN: Ha. So after like fifty years, I finally finished another chapter. Never thought it was gonna happen? Well it did.

Preview for next time, if I ever write it: A Christmas party sets Kori face to face with her past. But as Red X and his team scour the city, Kori must choose between returning to her past, or joining a dark future with Rodan Katsuma. (If you all don't know who he is by now, than you need to read the chapter again…)


End file.
